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Placing non electrical plant in cvicinity of High Voltage conductors

Placing non electrical plant in cvicinity of High Voltage conductors

Placing non electrical plant in cvicinity of High Voltage conductors

(OP)
I am looking for a chart to show how close a cellular antenna may be placed to a high voltage electrical conductor on a power line without safety or interference becoming a factor. The voltages of concern are greater than 5000.

RE: Placing non electrical plant in cvicinity of High Voltage conductors

Start by contacting the power company that owns these lines.  They should give you a minimum distance to stay back from the lines and can tell you the actual voltage of the line (I'd bet you'll need this to check for interference).  This distance will either come from the National Electric Code or National Electric Safety Code depending on which one they use.  The company may also have there own requirements.  Note that the NEC/NESC is only a minimum requirement, so the further away you keep it the better.

Also the utility may have an easement where the pole line is located.  This easement can be anywhere up to a couple hundred feet wide depending the voltage level and typically doesn't allow for any structures to be built within it.

As far as interference someone else will have to answer that.

RE: Placing non electrical plant in cvicinity of High Voltage conductors

You have two factors at work.

1.  The NESC dictates how close the electrical system can be built to other facilities.

2.  Other governmental laws stating how close other facilities can be built to the electrical system.

3.  Clearance requiremence for maintenance people to be away from electrical facilities.

Generally the electrical facilities can be built closer to buildings and such than the other equipment can be built to the electrical facilities.  In both cases you can build a system that is non-maintainable.  For instance at distribution voltage the poer line can maybe get within 7' of the building, but the building can only get within 10' of the line (depending on which one is built first), but the maintenance worker needs 10' between him and the energized equipment.  10' air + 3' person + 3' swinging arm = 16'  If he's swinging a bar for installing a bilboard plan on more like 25' of clearance needed to make the guy legal.  

Mark in Utah

RE: Placing non electrical plant in cvicinity of High Voltage conductors

Wireless companies have placed their antennas on high voltage transmission towers. I don't remember the voltage, but I believe it was 138kV or higher.  The power company installed it and maintains it.  They were not going to let the wireless companies employee's work on their towers.

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