Kalehan Hydroelectric Power Plants 400-kV Power Line
The project entailed the construction of an electric power transmission infrastructure consisting of route design, erection of lattice towers, tower foundations, wire pulling, drilling, wire stringing tests, and commissioning of a 3-phase, single-circuit, 400-kV high voltage overhead power line using a 1,272 MCM single circuit link between three power plants (Upper Beyhan, Lower Kaleköy, and Upper Kaleköy) with a cumulative length of 90 kilometers, and a connection to the national grid with a length of 100 kilometers near the city of Diyarbakır. The total installed length of the power lines for the project exceeds 190 kilometers, which directly integrates these three (3) powers plants and one solar farm into the existing national electric network.
About 60,000 m3 of earth was excavated, and 50,000 m3 of concrete were laid, as well as 5,000 metric tons of steel were consumed to erect 310 lattice towers. Moreover, 3,500 metric tons of aluminum cables were used for the installation of a transmission line to transfer the generated power from these hydro power stations to the country’s interconnected power network.
The incredible challenges which included the toughest terrains, mountains, river crossings, and typical weather conditions, as well as access issues to get to work site locations did not impact the deliverables with utmost satisfaction and trustworthy performance. The project encreases efficiency and the capacity of the regional transmission system, as well as reduces the losses in transferring power. It also becomes the backbone of the regional grid system.