Successful Implementation of

GIS Techniques for

Route Alignment & Surveys of
Power Transmission Projects
of POWERGRID

Power Grid Corporation Of India

Ltd

Why Surveying Is Important ?

To optimize cost of transmission line

Line length, number of locations, deviations

Minimum river crossings
Minimum forest areas
Accessibility, right of way considerations
To assess route constraints and do construction planning

To ensure statutory clearances

Ground clearance
Horizontal/Right of way clearance
Clearances from power lines, railway lines, road crossings etc.

UHV Transmission Lines

- 765 kV , Requiring Large ROW

Long Distance Transmission

Lines 500 kV HVDC

Transmission Lines
thru Agricultural fields

Transmission Lines in Hilly areas

Multiple Transmission Lines

Through Same Corridor

Transmission Line River Crossings

Transmission Line Surveying

Project Conceptualization / Project
Feasibility Stage
Faster and accurate techniques required to evaluate various line
routes
Pre-Construction Stage
Route alignment, Detailed Mapping of right of way, ground
profiling, finalisation of tower locations with geo technical details
Detailed contouring of undulated terrain for estimation of
benching and revetment quantities
Project Construction Stage
Check Survey only

Advantages of Conducting Detailed

Survey in Advance
Large Quantity variations during execution stage
avoided

Constraints assessed in advance

Engineering activities can be taken in advance

Construction work can be taken up immediately after

contract award

Reduction in IDC due to reduction in project

execution time offsetting cost of survey using
modern techniques

Reduction of even 1-2 kms line length would offset

cost of surveying using modern techniques

Detailed Survey Modern Techniques

Route Alignment using latest satellite
imageries (PAN + LISS III Merged
products) superimposed on Survey of
India Topographical Maps
Digital terrain modeling in hilly terrain
using contouring data
Detailed Survey using GPS, Total stations
or alternatively ALTM
Digitized contouring at undulated / hilly
tower locations
Identification of Route constraints,
Identification of infrastructure details

Detailed Survey Modern

Techniques
Tower

spotting & optimization of

locations using commercial software
like PLS CADD
Estimation Of BOQ
Preparation Of Survey reports
Soil Investigation

METHODOLOGY
Acquisition of Remote
Sensing Data

Digitization of Base
details from SOI
sheets

Preparation of Updated
Digitized Maps
Selection of
corridors/alternatives

Route Selection

Reconnaissance
Survey

GPS/Total Station Survey

Digitized Profiling

Computer-aided tower
spotting
BOQ Estimation, Reports
etc.

Geotechnical
Investigations

Digitized Toposheet

Survey of India Topo Sheet

Corresponding Digitized Map

indicating relevant information

Digitized Satellite Image

Satellite Imagery
(5.8/20 m resolution)

Corresponding Digitized Image

indicating relevant information

Selection of Alternative Routes

Alternative
3

Bee
Line

Alternative
2

Existing Line

Alternative
1

Computerized Route Optimization by Study

of Alternative Routes
Alternative
3

Bee
Line

Alternative
2

Existing Line

Alternative
1

Digital Terrain Model

Alternative-2

Alternative-1

Bee Line

Alternative-3

Computerized Three Dimensional Image

Advantages of Modern
Survey Techniques over
Traditional survey Method

Topographic Sheet
Indicates only Nala

Satellite Image Indicates

Large waterbody

Topographic Sheet
Indicates only a part
of Canal

Satellite Image Indicates

Another Branch of Canal

Topographic Sheet
Not many details

Satellite Image Indicates

Recent Infrastructure
Developments, Landslide
Areas

Transmission Line Survey through GIS

Change of River
Course

Detailed Survey on Selected Route

Detailed Survey is done on the selected route
using Total Stations.
Plotting of Surveyed Route on the Topographical
Maps
Tower Spotting and profiling is done using PLSCADD Software.

PLS CADD Software

Power Line Systems Computer Aided Design and Drafting (PLS
CADD) is a software developed by Power line systems Inc. USA.

The software is used for Tower Spotting.

The
software
Clearances.

The software automatically calculates wind &

Weight Span.

The software prepares the Plan & Profile View of

the T/L line.

Report Generation.

automatically

provide

SAG

The overall organization of the PLS CADD software is shown

PLS CADD Software

Input

Processing

Output

3-D Terrain
Survey Data
Feature Codes

Corridor Terrain
Ground + Obstacles

Reports
Material List
Specification
Etc.

3-D Model of
Line in Corridor

Drawings
Plan & Profile
Exported to
CAD system

Libraries
Design Criteria
Loads
Clearances
Structures
Geometry
Strength
Cables
All Properties

Installation
Spotting
Automatic
Manual
Stringing
Sagging
Etc.

Calculations
Sag Tension
Clearances
Struct-Strength
Swings
Etc.

Archiving
Line
Management
Future
Modifications

Plan & Profile Drawing

Key Advantages
PLS

Cadd software used for preparing

Plan & Profile Drawing and Report
Generation
Eliminates manual error in Report
generation.
Empowers Managers to move / modify
structures and see the effect on the
Line.
Reports / Calculations of modified
structures can be viewed instantly.

Airborne Laser Terrain Mapping(ALTM)

The laser locator installed onboard
records both returns from the
vegetation cover and objects on
the ground (that is the first pulse)
and from the terrain under the
vegetation (that is the last pulse).
This system together with data
processing software are used to
create digital terrain model not
affected by the vegetation.

First reflection
(first pulse)

Last reflection
(last pulse)

New Line Construction

Knowing exact geometry along the route with as many details desirable
as it makes design process much more productive. With laser survey
much more efficient and fast to collect the information along the route
for new power line design and construction.

Evaluation Of Clearances

Thermal Uprate Studies

Thermal uprate study will become much less complicated process with laser
survey data. Three-dimensional information about actual power line geometry and
condition brings all relevant details along the route of the power line.

DETAILED SURVEY USING MODERN TECHNIQUES

FOR PROJECTS
COMPLETED / UNDER IMPLEMENTATION
TEESTA-V (Route Alignment using satellite imagery)
SRINAGAR-LEH (Route Alignment using satellite imagery)
PARBATI-II, KOLDAM
KAHALGAON
BARH
KUDAMKULAM
NEYVELI
RANCHI-SIPAT
RAPP-5&6
MAITHON
WR STRENGTHENING
PARBATI-III
URI-II
etc. etc.

Thank You