Palo Verde to Browning 500kV Transmission Line Projects

Location: Casa Grande, Stanfield and Maricopa, Arizona

Falcon Steel America’s Contribution

Falcon Steel America was awarded the opportunity to design and furnish approximately 600 tons of major steel structures for Pinal Central, Duke and Pinal West 500kV substations.

Extensive efforts went into the planning and staging for delivery of the entire project, which delivered on time to three different jobsites. This project consisted of (15) 500kV A-Frame structures with an 85’ line dead end height, (11) 100’ in length dead end beams, and approximately (9) High Mast Structures with all included anchor bolt cages and hardware.

Falcon Steel America’s expertise in this type of fabrication allowed for a smooth and efficient erection by the onsite contractors.

Project Description

The Salt River Project (SRP) had a distance problem. As part owner of one of the largest nuclear power plants in the United States, SRP needed a transmission line that would span the 150 miles between the plant and a substation. Adding urgency to the need was a location that was demanding more and more energy—the rapidly growing Phoenix, Ariz., area.

SRP’s Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station produces more than 30,000 gigawatt hours of electricity per year. It serves nearly 4 million people in Phoenix and Southern California. The new line would run 150 miles of 500 kV line between Palo Verde and SRP’s Browning Substation.

The line provides new and increased access to the energy market at the Palo Verde Hub located near the Palo Verde plant. This project represents one of the longest transmission line projects in North America.

The transmission line includes about 50 miles of 500 kV single-circuit lattice towers. The remaining 100 miles consist of tubular steel poles. Some portions of the tubular steel segment included a mix of single-circuit 500 kV and double-circuit 500/230 kV.