Development of low-wind-load overhead transmission wires [News from Japan]

Electric power utility companies make strenuous efforts to prevent disruption of the power supply, even when large natural disasters hit their service areas. Thus overhead electric power transmission lines are designed and constructed to withstand the highest likely wind speeds associated with hurricanes or typhoons. It follows that if the maximum mechanical load on a transmission line due to wind can be reduced, the design strength of the line and thus construction costs can also be reduced.