Electricity transmission line route selection using GIS

Abstract

Routing a transmission line is much more difficult than routing any other public infrastructure. The present power line routing system used by electricity utilities is manual which could be time consuming and costly. Geographic Information System has been used in several ways by transmission line designers but its use in routing is yet to be fully appreciated in Uganda. The aim of this study was to determine the best route for the proposed Ishaka to Kabale power transmission line using GIS. As a way of not only reducing on time and money involved in routing but also to raise awareness of the potential of geographical information technologies for power line routing among electricity stakeholders. Various criteria relevant to energy transmission line (ETL) routing were considered, including Landcover, protected areas (national parks, game reserves etc), slope, elevation, proximity to existing high voltage line with existing right of way, proximity to roads and proximity to rivers and river crossings etc. Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to weigh the criteria which were incorporated into raster-based GIS to generate a cost surface. Three routes were determined using least cost path analysis and an optimal route was selected basing on technical and economic viability.