GTC-EPRI Transmission Line Siting

There is a shortage of high voltage transmission lines in the United States, and demand is expected to grow at least 20 percent in the next decade. Yet selection of transmission line routes is a growing source of public controversy and regulatory scrutiny throughout the world. In an effort to find improve the siting process and create a standard, Georgia Transmission Corporation (GTC) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) jointly funded a research effort that resulted in EPRI’s publishing in February 2006 of the EPRI-GTC Electric Transmission Line Siting Methodology.

The EPRI-GTC Siting Methodology

The EPRI-GTC Siting Methodology allows external groups to participate in the process, and it makes decisions by utility professionals more transparent and credible. It uses GIS software called Corridor Analyst© to map all geographic features in a study area, assign numerical suitability values to all features, assign engineering constraints, generate corridor alternatives using statistically sound algorithms, automatically generate alternative corridor reports, and automatically create reports summarizing criteria used and values assigned. The EPRI-GTC Siting Methodology is consistent, objective and defensible. Copies of the EPRI-GTC report are available for free from EPRI and consulting services are available to help utilities with adoption of the methodology. Please contact us if you would like additional information.

The methodology has three main benefits:

• It produces siting decisions that are more quantifiable, consistent and defensible.
• It improves productivity and analytical capabilities.
• It reduces risks by addressing regulatory scrutiny and stakeholder issues.

Find out more

The Industry Standard
Corridor Analyst® Functionality
Testimonials 
Benefits

Fact sheet on how the process works.

Industry Attention

A feature story on the siting study was published in Transmission and Distribution World Magazine, February 2005. The storis available at www.tdworld.com.

Credit

The study was funded by GTC and EPRI. GTC acquired the copyright and intellectual property rights to the methodology. GTC's Gayle Houston and Christy Johnson led the team that included consultants from academia and private business. Team members were Dr. Joseph K. Berry, Colorado State University; Dr. Steven P. French, Georgia Institute of Technology; Dr. Elizabeth A. Kramer, University of Georgia; Steven Richardson, attorney in private practice; and Dr. Paul D. Zwick, University of Florida. Jesse Glasgow and Chris Smith from Photo Science were team members and Photo Science developed the GIS Siting Model software suite. EPRI's project manager was John Goodrich-Mahoney.

Copies of the report

The EPRI-GTC Electric Transmission Line Siting Methodology report is available for free from EPRI.

Please call (800) 313-3774 (press 2, and provide the report number: 1013080).

GTC does not provide copies of the report.

Making it work for you

Contact us today at

Georgia Transmission Corporation 
770-270-7050 
EPRI-GTCsiting@gatrans.com

Photo Science770-270-7769

jglasgow@photoscience.com

Representatives can provide an on-site demonstration at your facility and answer questions. If you decide to try this methodology, we can provide cost estimates for tailoring the procedures and software to your requirements. Then your organization is ready to improve the way it sites power lines, using an open and transparent process that is objective, consistent and defensible.