SURELINE® Poles Help Horizon Power Win Logistics Battle

Location:	Esperance, Western Australia
Country:	Australia
Project Size:	20 kilometre upgrade of electricity network
Client:	Horizon Power
Products Used:	SURELINE®

Western Australian regional electricity provider Horizon Power is meeting a key commitment to customers in the Esperance region by taking advantage of readily available SURELINE® steel power poles.

State government owned Horizon Power services the Pilbara, Kimberley, Gascoyne and Mid West and southern Goldfields regions.

One of it's key aims is to provide quality and reliable power supplies to the communities it serves.

With alliance partner Transfield Services, Horizon Power is working towards this outcome by upgrading 20 kilometres of its electricity network along the South Coast Highway, 70 kilometres west of Esperance, as part of the Esperance Network Rural Upgrade Project.

"We believed replacing the network would provide greater benefits than repairing the network," Horizon Power's Project Manager, John Small, said.

"The work involves the total replacement of power poles and associated infrastructure including new wire, line relocation and the use of a new design."

"Our Manager of Asset Strategy in Perth, John Zanello, became aware of the SURELINE® poles, and in particular their availability in a 12.5m length with an ultimate load state of 16kN, which suited our requirements for this project."

"This provided a solution for us because our normal supplier was unable to manufacture a 12.5 metre pole with the strength rating we required, in the time frame for this project."

"The service we have had from BlueScope Steel has been exceptional,"John Small said.

BlueScope Steel worked with Horizon Power to establish a detailed delivery schedule for the 220 poles, which were railed to Kalgoorlie and then delivered 400 kilometres to site by road train.

By taking advantage of their lightweight specification and consistent straight sided dimensions, it was possible to stack 33 SURELINE® poles per wagon, significantly reducing freight movements and cost.

BlueScope Steel's SURELINE® specialists calculated the most space efficient method for loading the poles onto the road trains and supplied the details to Horizon Power and its road transport contractor.

The hollow poles were supplied with all pre drilled holes plugged and with end cap fitted to prevent access by bees that can be a serious nuisance in the region.

"We're building the line using a wishbone configuration and an overhead earth wire to combat the effects of lightning, reduce the likelihood of bird related incidents and eliminate clashing conductors, which will ultimately improve the reliability of power supplies and enhance the existing safety measures on the network," John Small said.

"BlueScope Steel worked with us to devise a hole drilling pattern which was applied to each pole in accordance with Horizon Power's construction manual. That gives us maximum flexibility when dressing the poles so that we can achieve nine different configurations. It's almost a universal pole."

"Because the holes are drilled before the poles are hot dip galvanised inside and out, the integrity of their corrosion protection is not diminished. The poles’ robust design will allow them to weather the storms that the region experiences regularly."

"As a result of our experience with the SURELINE® poles for the renewal of part of the 33kV Esperance to Munglinup line we’ve ordered another 110 of the 12.5 metre poles to use on other projects throughout the region," John Small said.

"The long life expectancy of the steel poles is a big factor in their favour and the kiloNewton rating is more than adequate for any external forces placed on them. The ratings that the SURELINE® range covers are exactly in line with our general requirements."

"BlueScope Steel came to site and conducted a very professional presentation to cover the specifics of the SURELINE® poles for the installation crew, but because the holes had all been pre drilled it was a very straightforward procedure."

John Small said he is optimistic about the future of network upgrades and improvements in the Esperance region. "We now have guaranteed availability of the SURELINE® poles and can have them delivered efficiently on lead times that suit us," he said.

"In a 200 kilometre radius we have approximately 24,000 poles in our Esperance network. Timber is no longer a viable choice for Horizon Power when you combine the various benefits of steel such as the life expectancy and strength of the poles, to combat the weather conditions that our business faces on a regular basis, from cyclones in the north to winter storms in the south."

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