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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
MARCH
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STEEL CONTRACTORS AND ROOFING
and very little maintenance is needed during the product’s life cycle.
Another advantage is that the poles are fire and rotproof. They
are also difficult to cut down, which assists in preventing cable theft.
“Structa is happy about the positive feedback we have received,
taking into consideration the wood shortage currently experienced,
as well as the cable theft issue,” says Rossouw.
The universal transformer pole with internal cable ducts and
cable locks is another product from Structa Technology that is
aimed at ensuring cable security.
Other products designed and manufactured by the dis-
tributor include its Electrotower electrical distribution Mono
Poles for single and double circuits for between 11 kV and
220 kV distribution lines and the H-type termination, strain and
suspension structures, which are also available as double
poles for between 22 kV and 132 kV lines.
Power utilities throughout Africa have successfully used the
company’s 259 and 265 electrification poles.
Replacing traditional wooden and concrete poles
Steel masts manufacturer Structa Technology
has unveiled its new utility steel pole as part of its
200/240 range and has supplied these poles to
state-owned power utility Eskom and various
mining companies.
The patented oval steel utility pole was designed and developed
over two years as an alternative to the traditional wooden and
concrete utility poles available in South Africa.
They were produced for 11 kV to 66 kV distribution circuits and
for distributing electrical and telecommunications services in rural
and township areas.
Why steel poles?
The steel poles were designed to alleviate the shortage of the
11 m wooden poles and help solve the
problem of cable theft, as the cables run
inside the steel pole.
Eskom has tested and accepted the
poles and these are listed on the service
provider’s system. Structa has, to date,
supplied about 6 000 poles to Eskom.
The poles have also been tested by
the Guangdong power utility in China and
approved for use there.
Structa Technology MD, Hercules
Rossouw, says there were challenges in
designing and testing the pole and getting
Eskom and the global market to accept
the product.
However, the response from companies
has been positive and Structa now plans to
also export the poles.
“We have already supplied poles to
mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo
and Namibia and these were used as
lighting poles,” he says. The 200/240 range
is designed for universal application and
allows for different configurations of phase
carrier and for stay cable attachments.
Companies in the mining industry have
approached Structa to specifically design
12 m and 13 m utility poles, with a thickness
of 6 mm and a tipload of 8,5 kN.
Structa has supplied Sasol Mining’s
Thubelisha mine, near Secunda, in
Mpumalanga, with three hundred
13 m poles, which were used for the
distribution of power and fibre optics for
telecommunication lines.
Steel pole’s advantages
The advantages of the steel poles range,
compared with wooden poles, include an
earthing advantage, owing to the steel
material; no shortage of raw materials;
being lighter and allowing for easier
handling; no on-site preparation is required;