NEOM’s energy and water division, Enowa, has utilized helicopter-assisted construction for high-voltage transmission line tower erection. A first for the Kingdom, this initiative reinforces Enowa’s credentials as a pioneering company in the employment of environmentally friendly construction methods.
As part of Enowa’s commitment to construct a 100% renewable energy system, individual components for the towers are being airlifted to the base of the transmission tower in the NEOM mountains. Here, they are assembled, removing the need to build carbon-intensive access roads for trucks, cranes, and other heavy equipment.
“Building the power grid transmission towers in the mountains of NEOM is an opportunity for Enowa to set a standard for using this world-class method of construction, helping to offset environmental impact and preserve the integrity of the natural environment,” commented Thorsten Schwarz, Enowa’s Executive Director of Power System Engineering.
“Building the power grid transmission towers in the mountains of NEOM is an opportunity for Enowa to set a standard for using this world-class method of construction”
Jumanah Almurdhi, Project Engineer, said: “In addition to allowing us to build NEOM’s infrastructure in harmony with nature, helicopter-aided construction will also be important for projects where the speed of delivery is a critical factor. It will minimize the time taken to deliver transmission towers, as well as the manpower and additional work that we normally require when building transmission towers using cranes.”
Enowa delivered the project in partnership with Saudi Electricity Company, Al Sharif Group Holdings, Helicopter Express, and Al Rushaid Group.