The Aesthetics of Transmission Structures

Many years ago we ran an “ugly pole contest”, and we found some really ugly transmission and distribution poles around the US and the world. Of course, nobody “designed” these visual atrocities, but some how and some way they morphed. Paint peeled, cable TV and phone was attached, a transformer or switch was hung, and the little trees grew into big trees trimmed to protect system reliability. So, it’s great to see transmission owners, in particular, design and build aesthetically pleasing and attractive structures. When we route and permit T&D overhead poles, our customers remind us that aesthetics do matter. Look for new ideas herein and work with your pole suppliers for what they can actually fabricate. A great example is BOLD from AEP at https://www.boldtransmission.com/about/