Northern Loop - Transmission Line Anchors

Scope of Work

Drill, install and grout for guy anchors on 115kv & 345kv transmission lines in Maine, in and out of existing T-line corridors with various geology, drilling through up to 60 feet of overburden before hitting rock.

Challenges

The transmission contractor, L.E. Myers, requested guy anchors in various geological conditions on varying inclines in time to meet their wire-pull schedules. The overburden materials ranged from sand and gravel all the way to peat bogs and soupy wet clay. Not only did we have to drill to the rock, but we had to sleeve the holes to keep them clean enough to install and grout rock anchors. Environmental constraints dictated that no drill cuttings, dust, or grout waste could be left on the ground. The MD&B crew’s solution involved bagging and hauling off rock cuttings, and employing kiddie pools to contain silt and grout waste for safe removal from the site.

Outcome

MD&B met the early schedule challenges with weekend work, helping L.E. Myers stay ahead of schedule. The crew's quick thinking, dedication, and hard work led to a contract for the remainder of the rock anchors on the Northern Loop of the MPRP contract.

Customer Comment

Maine Drilling & Blasting worked diligently on Str. 45 on Section 254 trying to install threaded rod rock anchors 30+ feet down through a boggy soil next to the Sheepscot River. This structure was an extreme environment due to the unstable nature of the bog area that could start to thaw if the temperatures were right. They worked for 2 weeks on this structure, digging and breaking pipe and leaders while drilling these anchors. They worked a lot of hours to ensure that these anchors were completed by the time LEM was ready to pull in our lead line for the wire. MD&B was able to complete this task to stay ahead of the LEM's construction progress and install them to specification. But most importantly, they installed these anchors safely. It was a complicated area with some hazards of matting and unstable soil conditions. We truly appreciate Maine Drilling's hard work and non-stop commitment to completing these anchors successfully, on-time, and safely. We wouldn't be making the progress on the MPRP Northern Loop without your efforts. Thank you again and let's keep the success going until the end."

Chris Lenahan, Project Manager