Planning transmission systems

When planning transmission lines, engineers and planners consider many diverse factors, including:

• amount of power the line must carry
• length of the line
• potential power losses along the line
• required reliability levels
• operation and maintenance
• physical clearances for routing the line
• potential impacts to the environment and communities
• costs to build, operate and maintain the line
• how the line fits into the overall electricity network or grid

A siting process is used to integrate environmental, engineering, real estate, socio-economic and regulatory considerations early in project planning and development. Companies also carry out public consultation processes to make sure the public is notified to provide input that assists them in selecting the best possible route with the least possible impacts.