Jyoti Structures Ltd (JSL) has successfully completed full-scale prototype testing of a transmission tower that would be used for the 800kV HVDC programme of Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd.
The testing was carried out at JSL’s transmission tower testing centre at Ghoti, Nashik, Maharashtra. This also was the 513th transmission tower tested at the Ghoti testing centre, so far, a release by Jyoti Structures said.
Testing process and results
The tower tested was an 800kV HVDC Type “C” tower (15°–30° angle, Wind Zone-4), configured as a Basic Body Tower with +0M extension, weighing 45.5 tonnes. Testing was carried out as per IS802 Part III: 1978 (RA):2017 standards and included multiple load conditions covering normal operation, safety and maintenance scenarios, broken wire situations, and different reliability conditions.
The tower withstood 100 per cent of the required loads across all specified test cases without any visible deformation and was declared successfully tested as per the applicable standard. During the testing process, certain members in the Bottom X-Arm were strengthened to refine the design. After completing all required load cases, a destruction test was also conducted. The tower sustained loads up to 110% before collapse, further validating the robustness of the structural design.
Engineering strength
Commenting on the development, Rajesh Kumar Singh, CEO, Jyoti Structures Ltd, said, “Successfully testing the 513th tower at our tower testing station reflects the engineering strength and execution capability we have built over the years. The 800kV HVDC programme is among the most demanding transmission projects in the country. While the tower design was provided by PGCIL, our team carried out the detailed development, manufacturing, and rigorous load testing to validate performance under real-world conditions. As transmission projects continue to scale in voltage and complexity, our in-house testing infrastructure and structured approach enable us to ensure reliability, maintain quality standards, and reduce execution risks for our clients.”
The mega PGCIL order
This milestone supports the company’s ongoing execution of the 800kV HVDC project, valued at Rs.741 crore (including GST), awarded by Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL). The Ghoti tower testing station, part of JSL’s dedicated R&D and testing infrastructure in Maharashtra, plays a central role in ensuring that towers meet design specifications before field deployment, reducing execution risk across the transmission network, the release added. (For more details on the HVDC order, read tndindia.com story dated January 27, 2025)