ALL's mountaineers keep the power flowing

24 October 2012

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ALL Crane of Nitro, West Virginia, has provided two Grove GMK5165 all terrain cranes and a Demag AC140 to help L.E. Myers Co rebuild power towers high in the Allegheny mountains for Dominion Energy, as part of a project to rebuild an aging transmission line serving West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland.

The Mt. Storm-to-Doubs 500kV transmission line -- a critical component of the electric grid serving the three states. The transmission line is being rebuilt in three phases, to be completed in early 2013. By then, ALL will have helped construct 458 new high-voltage transmission line towers carrying the 500kV line for 96 miles through the Allegheny Mountains -- from the Mt. Storm Power station to the Doubs substation near Fredrick, Md.
ALL Crane & Equipment Rental has been on the job site for approximately 12 weeks since phase one, providing two Grove GMK5165 all terrain cranes (165USt) and one Demag AC140 (170USt). So far, 281 towers have been set, and the third phase is underway. As of mid October, there were 177 towers left to go.
“Setting high line towers in the mountains is a huge challenge," said Gary Dodd of ALL Crane's West Virginia branch.
“Getting the cranes and counterweights up the mountains involved a crew from the contractor cutting roads and paths and sometimes even pulling our equipment up and down with dozers. The uncertainty of the terrain and the weather up there, especially with winter coming, contributes to the difficulty," he added.
“But our guys have worked together in these mountains for years, and we make a great team. It's all about the right people and the right cranes. We are moving Dominion's project along right on schedule."