Round Wood & Laminated Wood Poles Insure Stable Supply
The past several years have brought many changes to the North American Electric Utility industry. A historic rise in steel prices, skyrocketing energy costs and an increase in T&D construction, have put an significantly greater demand on the North American round wood pole supply. Round wood pole suppliers say that while there is not a shortage of supply, the increased demand has caused lead times to become greater, anywhere from 12 weeks to 12 months, depending on the pole class, length and species.
These changes in the industry have also created new opportunities for laminated wood poles to be used to supplement round wood poles on more and more projects.
Historically, engineered laminated wood poles have been used primarily in unguyed angle applications as an alternative to steel and concrete construction. For many years laminated wood poles have also been available in class-equivalent, tangent sizes as well. The increased prices of steel and the long lead times of some round wood poles have made laminates very cost competitive today for use in tangent applications. One Canadian round wood pole supplier, Bell Lumber & Pole Co., (Carseland, Alberta), has recently worked with Laminated Wood Systems Inc., (Seward, Nebraska) to supplement class-equivalent poles on projects they have been asked to bid. Following are three recent projects that Bell and LWS have worked together on to supply the poles needed for construction.
Case 1- Sask Power will be constructing a 138kV transmission line in Pelican Narrows, Saskatchewan near the Manitoba border (north of the 55th parallel). Due to the location of this line the lead time of the material was crucial, because there is a limited window of opportunity for construction this far north in the province. The project requires a total of 825 poles, ranging in size from 60-85 ft, class 4 to H1, Western Red Cedar. Bell had the ability to supply smaller sizes, but due to long lead times and rising prices, Bell chose to offer laminated wood poles as an alternative to cedar poles. Working with Bell, Laminated Wood Systems, Inc. (LWS), was able to make up the balance and supply 184 laminated wood poles, ranging in class and size from 4 to 2, 75’ to 85’ in length.
The laminated wood poles were able to be delivered within 6 weeks.
Case 2- TransAlta - The North Alberta tar sands near Ft. McMurray hold millions of barrels of crude oil. Extracting that energy resource requires the forcing of steam into the sand in order to liquefy the oil. In the past the steam was allowed to escape into the air but now is being re-claimed and is powering turbines that generate electricity. TransAlta is constructing a new 138KV line in this area requiring 65 poles ranging in size from 60’ – 115’. Bell was able to supply the smaller poles within the desired lead time and supplemented the larger sizes with laminates. Working with Bell, LWS supplied 31 engineered laminated wood poles ranging in size from 100’- 115’ within 6 weeks.
Case 3 - SNC Lavalin/AltaLink - Although a much smaller project than Sask Power & TransAlta, this project required two fairly long poles, one 151’ and one 161’. Two existing 240KV lattice towers along a highway exit ramp needed to be replaced by mono-poles in order to reduce the right of way footprint since the line was also close to a recreational trail. The structure change out also needed to be done energized, so safety was of utmost concern.
Steel monopoles were considered initially, but long lead times, price and safety concerns ruled them out since the utility considers wood poles to be less dangerous when doing live change outs. Working with Bell, LWS supplied two-piece poles that would be safe and easy to transport and was able to meet the deadlines of the project.
In this constantly changing utility market, projects don’t always have to be slowed down by lead time challenges when alternative materials such as laminated wood poles are available.
Most laminated poles are made from either managed growth Southern Yellow pine or Coastal-Fir, an abundant completely renewable resource. Because the North American timber supply consistently exceeds wood fiber demand, it is not subject to shortages or surcharges like steel. Laminated wood poles are manufactured at many locations in the US & Canada which allows for a large production capacity and timely regional delivery of poles.
By combining round wood poles and wood laminates, there exists a stable, abundant supply of poles for today’s growing utility construction demands.
For more information contact Todd Brown @Bell Lumber & Pole (208)265-4489 or Doug Kotil @ LWS (402)643-4708.
The past several years have brought many changes to the North American Electric Utility industry. A historic rise in steel prices, skyrocketing energy costs and an increase in T&D construction, have put an significantly greater demand on the North American round wood pole supply. Round wood pole suppliers say that while there is not a shortage of supply, the increased demand has caused lead times to become greater, anywhere from 12 weeks to 12 months, depending on the pole class, length and species.
These changes in the industry have also created new opportunities for laminated wood poles to be used to supplement round wood poles on more and more projects.
Historically, engineered laminated wood poles have been used primarily in unguyed angle applications as an alternative to steel and concrete construction. For many years laminated wood poles have also been available in class-equivalent, tangent sizes as well. The increased prices of steel and the long lead times of some round wood poles have made laminates very cost competitive today for use in tangent applications. One Canadian round wood pole supplier, Bell Lumber & Pole Co., (Carseland, Alberta), has recently worked with Laminated Wood Systems Inc., (Seward, Nebraska) to supplement class-equivalent poles on projects they have been asked to bid. Following are three recent projects that Bell and LWS have worked together on to supply the poles needed for construction.
Case 1- Sask Power will be constructing a 138kV transmission line in Pelican Narrows, Saskatchewan near the Manitoba border (north of the 55th parallel). Due to the location of this line the lead time of the material was crucial, because there is a limited window of opportunity for construction this far north in the province. The project requires a total of 825 poles, ranging in size from 60-85 ft, class 4 to H1, Western Red Cedar. Bell had the ability to supply smaller sizes, but due to long lead times and rising prices, Bell chose to offer laminated wood poles as an alternative to cedar poles. Working with Bell, Laminated Wood Systems, Inc. (LWS), was able to make up the balance and supply 184 laminated wood poles, ranging in class and size from 4 to 2, 75’ to 85’ in length.
The laminated wood poles were able to be delivered within 6 weeks.
Case 2- TransAlta - The North Alberta tar sands near Ft. McMurray hold millions of barrels of crude oil. Extracting that energy resource requires the forcing of steam into the sand in order to liquefy the oil. In the past the steam was allowed to escape into the air but now is being re-claimed and is powering turbines that generate electricity. TransAlta is constructing a new 138KV line in this area requiring 65 poles ranging in size from 60’ – 115’. Bell was able to supply the smaller poles within the desired lead time and supplemented the larger sizes with laminates. Working with Bell, LWS supplied 31 engineered laminated wood poles ranging in size from 100’- 115’ within 6 weeks.
Case 3 - SNC Lavalin/AltaLink - Although a much smaller project than Sask Power & TransAlta, this project required two fairly long poles, one 151’ and one 161’. Two existing 240KV lattice towers along a highway exit ramp needed to be replaced by mono-poles in order to reduce the right of way footprint since the line was also close to a recreational trail. The structure change out also needed to be done energized, so safety was of utmost concern.
Steel monopoles were considered initially, but long lead times, price and safety concerns ruled them out since the utility considers wood poles to be less dangerous when doing live change outs. Working with Bell, LWS supplied two-piece poles that would be safe and easy to transport and was able to meet the deadlines of the project.
In this constantly changing utility market, projects don’t always have to be slowed down by lead time challenges when alternative materials such as laminated wood poles are available.
Most laminated poles are made from either managed growth Southern Yellow pine or Coastal-Fir, an abundant completely renewable resource. Because the North American timber supply consistently exceeds wood fiber demand, it is not subject to shortages or surcharges like steel. Laminated wood poles are manufactured at many locations in the US & Canada which allows for a large production capacity and timely regional delivery of poles.
By combining round wood poles and wood laminates, there exists a stable, abundant supply of poles for today’s growing utility construction demands.
For more information contact Todd Brown @Bell Lumber & Pole (208)265-4489 or Doug Kotil @ LWS (402)643-4708.
