UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Utilities Service 

BULLETIN 1724E-224 

RD-GD-2019-98

SUBJECT: Electric Transmission Guide Specifications and Drawings for Steel Pole 

Construction - 34.5 to 230 kV 

TO: RUS Electric Bonowers, Consulting Engineers, and RUS Electric Program Staff

EFFECTIVE DATE: Date of Approval 

OFFICE OF PRIMARY INTEREST: Engineering Standards Branch; Electric Program 

FILING INSTRUCTIONS: This bulletin replaces Bulletin 1724E-224, "Electric Transmission 

Guide Specifications and Drawings for Steel Pole Construction - 34.5 to 230 kV," dated April 9, 

2007. 

AVAILABILITY: This bulletin can be accessed via the Internet at: 

https://www.rd.usda.gov/publications/regulations-guidelines/bulletins/electric. 

PURPOSE: This guide bulletin provides general construction requirements for representative 

steel pole structures and assemblies for 34.5 through 230 .kV transmission lines. 

Christopher A. McLean 

Assistant Administrator 

Electric Program 

Disclaimer: The contents of this guidance document does not have the force and effect of law and is not meant to 

bind the public in any way. This document is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing 

requirements under the law or agency policies.
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page ii 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

INTRODUCTIONS iv 

Part 1. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 

1 General 1-1 

2 Clearing 2-1 

3 Access 3-1 

4 Steel Poles 4-1 

5 Pole Top Assemblies 5-1 

6 Structure Assembly (Steel Poles) 6-1 

7 Structure Erection 7-1 

8 Guys and Anchors 8-1 

9 Grounding and Bonding 9-1 

10 Insulators and Hardware 10-1 

11 Conductors and Overhead Ground Wires 11-1 

12 Index to Drawings 12-1 

Part 2. STRUCTURE DRAWINGS 

ABBREVIATIONS 

ANSI American National Standards Institute 

CFR Code of Federal Regulations 

FAA Federal Aviation Administration 

IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 

NESC National Electrical Safety Code 

OHGW Overhead Ground Wire 

DEFINITIONS 

Borrower — An entity which borrows or seeks to borrow money from or arranges financing with 

the assistance of the Agency through guarantees, lien accommodations, or lien subordinations. 

Form 830 — Electric System Construction Contract form. 

Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Electric Program — RUS is an agency within Rural Development. 

The program is formerly Rural Development Electric Program. 

RUS Electric Program Forms — All forms and bulletins referred to in this bulletin are Rural 

Utilities Service Program forms and bulletins, unless otherwise noted. 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page iii 

Contracts: Specifications and Drawings 

Specifications and Standards: Construction Specifications 

CONTRIBUTORS: The following current and former members of the Transmission 

Subcommittee of the Transmission and Distribution (T&D) Engineering Committee of the 

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). 

Ballard, Dominic, East Kentucky Power Coop., Winchester, Ky. 

Beadle, Bob, North Carolina EMC, Raleigh, N.C. 

Beckett, Thomas, TL Beckett Consulting Engineers, Marietta, Ga. 

Bertelson, Jim, Dairyland Power Coop., La Crosse, Wisc. 

Caldwell, Art, Georgia Transmission Corporation, Tucker, Ga. 

Fan, Quan He, Georgia Transmission Corporation, Tucker, Ga. 

Harvey, Garry, East Kentucky Power Coop., Winchester, Ky. 

Johnson, Wilson, USDA, Rural Utilities Service, Electric Program, Washington, D.C. 

Kahanek, Bill, McCord Engineering, College Station, Texas 

Lukkarila, Charles, Great River Energy, Maple Grove, Minn. 

McAndrew, Jeremy, South Mississippi Electric Power Assoc., Hattiesburg, Miss. 

Metro, Patti, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Arlington, Va. 

Nordin, Bryan, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, Inc., Denver, Colo. 

Ruggeri, Erik, Power Engineers, Hailey, Idaho 

Shambrock, Aaron, South Central Power Company, Lancaster, Ohio 

Twitty, John, PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, Andalusia, Ala. 

Woodruff, Paul, Great River Energy, Maple Grove, Minn. 

Zhang, Chendi, USDA, Rural Utilities Service, Electric Program, Washington, D.C. 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page iv 

INTRODUCTIONS 

PURPOSE 

The intent of these guide specifications and drawings is to provide RUS Electric Program 

borrowers with a basis for constructing steel pole structures and assemblies for 34.5-kV 

through 230-kV transmission lines. 

The borrower or borrower 's representative is responsible for preparing a complete 

construction contract consisting of the construction contract form (Form 830, "Electric 

System Construction Contract') and all applicable specifications, plans, and drawings to 

construct a specific transmission line project. 

2 SCOPE 

This suggested specification for construction covers right-of-way clearing and access, 

steel poles, pole top assemblies, structure assembly and structure erection, guys and 

anchors, grounding and bonding, insulators and hardware, and phase conductors and 

overhead ground wires. 

3 PREPARATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT 

Use of this bulletin does not set forth all the terms and conditions that are necessary for a 

specific construction contract. This bulletin provides guidance in the form of technical 

specifications and drawings for steel pole structures and assemblies for 34.5-kV through 

230-kV transmission lines. 

a If the borrower uses these specifications when preparing a construction contract, 

the borrower or borrower's representative should remove (this) Introductions to 

this bulletin and add the following to the Technical Specifications, Part 1 of this 

bulletin: 

• Form 168b, Contractor's Bond 

• Form 187, Certificate of Completion 

• Form 224, Waiver and Release of Lien 

• Form 231, Certificate of Contractor 

• Form 307, Bid Bond 

• Debarment Certificate 

• Form 830, Electric System Construction Contract 

• General Conditions 

• Index of Drawings 

• Structure Construction Drawings (Part 2 to the specifications) 

• Plans Including Maps and Special Drawings 

• Plan-and-Profile Drawings 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page v 

The standard contract forms also need other attachments to clearly identiji the 

scope to the contract and to provide other information to or by the contractor. 

These attachments may be found in Bulletin 17261-602, "Attachments to Electric 

Program Standard Contract Forms," and cover the following: 

• Project Details 

• List of Owner Furnished Materials 

• Proposal Summary 

The borrower or the borrower's representative is responsible for setting forth and 

including in sufficient detail the construction specifications and drawings. In the 

preparation of the Technical Specifications, Part 1 and Structure Drawings, Part 

2 of this bulletin, the borrower or borrower's representative is responsible for 

assuring that the approved specifications and drawings for a transmission line 

project are set forth in sufficient detail in the construction contract and that the 

completed construction project complies with the contract. The construction 

specifications have been arranged so that they may be expanded to include any 

specific borrower requirements or they may be reduced to exclude any sections 

that are not necessary (such as clearing, etc.) if the work will not be included in 

the contract. 
PART 1 

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 1-1 

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 

1 GENERAL 

a Standard of Work and Schedules 

(1) All work must be performed in a thorough and proficient manner in 

accordance with the plans, specifications, and construction drawings. 

(2) In accordance with the requirements of 7 CFR 1724, Subpart E, Electric 

System Design, the latest edition of the National Electrical Safety Code 

(NESC), American National Standards Institute (ANSI) C2, must be 

followed wherever applicable to the work, except where local regulations 

or specification requirements are more stringent, in which case the more 

stringent requirements must govern. The NESC may be obtained from the 

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., 445 Hoes Lane, P.O. 

Box 1331, Piscataway, N.J., 08855-1331, USA, or at 

http://standards.ieee.org/nesc/. 

Technical Specifications. The following sections form the technical specifications 

(engineer to complete): 

General 

Drawing and Maps 

(1) All drawings and maps accompanying this specification or listed herein 

must be considered a part of these plans and specifications. The specific 

drawings included as part of this technical specification are indexed in 

Section 12 in these Technical Specifications, "List of Drawings." 

(2) If the drawings specify a requirement different from the written 

specifications, the specifications must govern. 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 1-2 

Locations of Structures and Appurtenances. Structures, anchors, access roads, 

and other major items to be constructed must be placed in locations determined 

and staked by the engineer and as shown on the plan and profile drawings. The 

contractor is responsible for verifying the location of structures and appurtenances 

to be installed. 

Safety 

(1) The work must be performed in accordance with all applicable Federal, 

State, and local safety laws and regulations. This includes —but is not 

limited to—Federal and State Occupational, Safety and Health 

Administration ( OSHA) regulations. 

(2) The contractor shall be responsible for the observance of proper safety 

practices and the avoidance of damage to property by all personnel 

engaged in the work. 

(3) The contractor shall take all steps necessary to prevent damage to or 

interference with existing power lines, communication facilities, 

roadways, railroads, waterways, buried cables, pipelines, and other 

facilities adjacent to or crossing the project right-of-way. 

(4) The contractor shall develop and maintain for the duration of this contract 

a safety program which will provide for compliance with applicable 

provisions of the NESC and Federal, State, and local safety laws and 

regulations. The contractor shall designate a qualified employee to 

supervise the safety program and ensure compliance with applicable safety 

laws and regulations. 

(5) In cases where structures or conductors will exceed a height of 200 feet, or 

are within 20,000 feet of an airport, the nearest regional or area office of 

the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must be contacted and if 

required, FAA Form 7460-1, "Notice of Proposed Construction or 

Alteration," is to be filed. 

(6) All temporary safety grounding installed during construction shall be 

removed by the contractor before the lines are ready for service. 

Definitions 

(1) Borrower — an entity which borrows or seeks to borrow money from, or 

arranges financing with the assistance of the Agency through guarantees, 

lien accommodations or lien accommodations. 

(2) Construction Unit — a specifically defined portion of a construction project 

containing materials, labor, or both for purposes of bidding and payment. 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 1-3 

(3) Contractor — a person or firm furnishing materials or performing 

construction at a specified price. 

(4) Engineer — a registered or licensed person who may be a staff employee or 

outside consultant who provides engineering services. Engineer also 

includes duly authorized assistants and representatives of the licensed 

person. 

(5) Owner — the borrower. 

(6) Owner-furnished Materials — materials or equipment or both supplied by 

the borrower for installation by the contractor. 

Abbreviations 

ANSI American National Standards Institute 

CFR Code of Federal Regulations 

FAA Federal Aviation Administration 

IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 

NESC National Electrical Safety Code 

OHGW Overhead Ground Wire 

Special Requirements (to be completed by the engineer): 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 2-1 

2 CLEARING 

a General Requirements 

(1). Clearing units specified may cover full width right-of-way clearing, 

selective clearing, tree topping, spraying of herbicides, or other forms of 

right-of-way preparation. Only those areas shown on the drawings or 

specified by the engineer shall be cleared in accordance with the 

applicable clearing units. Isolated ("danger") trees to be removed will be 

marked in the field by the engineer. 

(2) Vegetation should be removed only as necessary to permit construction, 

operation, and maintenance of the transmission line. Care must be taken 

to prevent denuding of ground cover and erosion of the soil. 

Clearing Methods and Equipment 

(1) Unless otherwise specified, all timber to be cleared must be felled. The 

removal of brush must meet State and/or Federal permit requirements and 

be in a manner so as to reduce the overall impact on the root structure of 

the ground cover. 

(2) Equipment must be in good repair and appropriate for the types of clearing 

specified. 

(3) When specified in the right-of-way construction units, stumps left in place 

must be treated with a heavy application of an appropriate herbicide 

approved by the engineer. Chemical treatment of stumps must occur as 

soon as possible after cutting. The chemical application must be sufficient 

to saturate the entire aboveground surface of the stump and cause a small 

amount to run down the sides and collect at the base to penetrate below the 

ground line into the roots. Any stumps showing resurgent growth prior to 

completion of line construction must be treated to kill all such growth. 

(4) Chemical sprays or herbicides must only be used with the approval of the 

engineer, and only in areas so designated for their use. Herbicides must be 

applied in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations and only 

by a licensed/certified applicator. The chemical sprays and herbicides 

must meet the environmental requirements of all governing agencies. 

Spraying must be performed in such manner, at such pressure, and under 

such wind conditions that drift of spray material to adjacent plants, 

animals, or persons will be avoided. 

Application of chemical sprays or herbicides must not be made: 

• when the ground is continuously frozen, 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 2-2 

• when the ground is adjacent to streams or other water bodies, 

• when the ground is or may be flooded during the period in which the 

herbicide retains its toxicity, 

• or when the ground is a marsh or other wetland. 

(5) If required by Section 2c in these Technical Specifications, "Special 

Requirements," stumps must be removed. 

(6) The landowner's written permission must be received prior to cutting trees 

outside the right-of-way. 

(7) Disposal of trees, brush, branches, and refuse must be in accordance with 

the methods specified in the construction units and must meet permit 

requirements. 

(8) Avoid clearing vegetation in riparian areas to the extent possible. A 

vegetative buffer zone should be left along creeks and streams to minimize 

siltation and sedimentation and prevent adverse impacts to riparian habitat. 

Special Requirements (to be completed by the engineer): 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 3-1 

3 ACCESS 

a Ingress and Egress 

(1) The activities of the contractor are to be restricted to the area along the 

right-of-way. 

(2) Where access to the right-of-way is across private property, the owner, 

tenant, or occupant shall be contacted to obtain permission for ingress and 

egress to the right-of-way. Such arrangements, including obtaining 

releases for damage, must be made by (engineer to check one): 

• The borrower or owner El 

• The contractor 

• Other (specify) 

(3) Access across public land must be accomplished as described in Section 3f 

in these Technical Specifications, "Special Requirements." 

Fences and Gates 

(1) Where fences must be cut to allow access for the work, gates must be 

installed as shown on the drawings or as directed by the engineer. All 

material and labor required for such installations must be furnished by the 

contractor per bid unit. 

(2) Types and details of gate construction must be shown on the drawings or 

approved by the engineer. 

(3) Brace posts must be installed at each fence cut to ensure that adjacent 

fence spans will not become slack. A wire fence must not be cut until it is 

secured to the brace post. 

(4) All gates must be closed and locked when required by the landowner. 

(5) Gate units may include removal of the gate after construction of the line is 

complete. In those cases, as determined by the engineer, the contractor 

shall remove the gate and restore the fence. All labor and material 

required must be furnished by the contractor. If removal is required, gate 

material must be disposed of in a manner acceptable to the engineer. 

Access Roads 

(1) Access road construction may be required as a part of the work. Where 

specified, roads must be of the type, dimensions, and grades shown on the 

drawings, and must be located as shown on the drawings and as staked by 

the engineer. 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 3-2 

(2) Borrowed material for access road fill must be a compactible granular 

material suitable for such a purpose, free of brush, refuse, or organic 

material. Fill must be compacted by the use of suitable heavy construction 

equipment. The finished road must be maintained smooth and free of ruts 

and sink holes until completion of construction. Water bars, drainage 

ditches, or other special requirements as called for on the drawings must 

be installed in accordance with the plans and specifications. All materials 

and labor required for such work must be furnished by the contractor. 

Culverts. Culvert pipes must be installed as shown on the drawings or as directed 

by the engineer. Each pipe must be of a type, diameter, and length as specified 

and must be properly set, backfilled, and tamped. All required labor and material 

must be provided by the contractor. 

Restoration. The contractor shall have a continuous cleanup program throughout 

construction. The contractor shall restore the land that is crossed to its original 

condition. This restoration includes the removal of deep ruts and the disposal of 

foreign objects such as stumps or chunks of concrete. It also includes smoothing 

and reseeding damaged vegetation areas with vegetation similar to the original, 

cleaning out gullies, and restoring terraces. Roads existing prior to construction 

must be restored to equal or better than their original condition. 

Special Requirements (to be completed by the engineer): 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 4-1 

4 STEEL POLES 

a Reference to Drawings. The pole lengths and designations shall agree with the 

Pole Units specified for the structures to be erected as tabulated in the 

Transmission Construction Units and shown on the plan and profile drawings. 

Pole Inspection, Handling, and Distribution 

(1) The contractor shall inspect all poles upon delivery and immediately 

notify the owner of freight damage discovered or misfabrication of poles. 

(2) Poles shall be handled according to the manufacturer's instructions. The 

contractor will obtain the instructions from the manufacturer. The 

handling and loading steel members shall be accomplished with care to 

prevent damage to the members and their finishes. Shaft sections shall be 

properly blocked and secured to minimize movement when transported by 

the contractor. Blocks and straps shall be properly padded to minimize 

abrasion of the shaft finish. Poles shall not be rolled or dragged on the 

ground without authorization from the engineer. 

(3) Poles or components damaged during handling by the contractor shall be 

replaced by the contractor at no expense to the owner. With the consent of 

the owner, minor repairs may be made under the direction of the 

manufacturer. 

(4) Spliced shaft segments will be properly identified so that the sections for 

each structure can be segregated upon arrival at their destination. 

(5) If poles are stored after delivery, they, should be stored in a horizontal 

position with suitable cribbing on firm soil. Cribbing should be properly 

padded to minimize abrasion of the shaft finish. Stacking of steel poles is 

not allowed. Stored poles shall not be allowed to come in contact with 

standing water or the ground. 

(6) The contractor shall provide all cribbing and blocks for storing the poles. 

(7) Poles spotted along the right-of-way near future setting locations shall be 

located away from traveled ways, residential areas, off the ground, and 

secured to prevent movement. 

Shaft Assembly 

(1) The sections should be blocked up so that they are reasonably level, taking 

care not to put a block in a splice area. The pole section should be so 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 4-2 

oriented that conductor arms, steps, etc., may be added later without 

having to rotate the structure. 

(2) All flanged multipiece poles shall be bolted together as per the 

manufacturer's recommendations. 

(3) All slip-fit multipiece poles shall be jacked together as per the 

manufacturer's recommendations. 

d Field Drilling 

(1) The engineer and manufacturer must be notified, and their approval must 

be obtained for the drilling of any holes in a steel pole or component. In 

some applications, the interior of the tubular pole or component may be 

factory-sealed and protected from corrosion. Drilling a hole would 

remove the seal and allow air or moisture into the unprotected tubular steel 

member. 

(2) Where holes are required and are approved by the engineer to be fielddrilled, the contractor shall carefully drill the holes using a bit 1/16-inch 

larger than the diameter of the bolt to be inserted. After drilling a hole, the 

steel shall be protected against corrosion. Galvanized steel poles shall 

utilize a zinc-enriched coating approved by the engineer. Painted poles 

shall utilize touch-up paint provided by the manufacturer. 

Special Requirements (to be completed by the engineer): 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 5-1 

5 POLE TOP ASSEMBLIES 

a Reference to Drawings 

(1) The pole top assembly unit consists of all items shown in the list of 

materials on the transmission line structure drawings in the Drawings 

portion, Part 2. 

(2) Unless shown in the list of materials on the drawings, the pole top 

assembly unit does not include other units such as pole units, pole 

grounding units, foundation units, guying assembly units, and anchor 

units. 

Handling of Materials 

(1) Care shall be exercised in the handling of all materials. Defective or 

damaged material shall not be installed. 

(2) The contractor shall furnish the necessary equipment to load and haul to 

the job site all owner-furnished materials. The contractor shall bear the 

cost of all handling, such as loading, hauling, and unloading. 

(3) If framing members (crossarms, bracing, and X-braces) are stored after 

delivery, they must be arranged with care and placed on blocking at least 

one (1) foot above ground to prevent contact with standing water or the 

ground. No crossarm shall have an unsupported length greater than 20 

feet. The blocking shall be provided by the contractor and included in the 

contract's unit prices. Materials sensitive to weather damage shall be 

protected. 

(4) Care shall be exercised in handling crossarm assemblies, pole band 

assemblies, and other factory subassemblies to prevent loss of components 

for which the contractor is responsible. 

(5) Materials or equipment shall not be placed where it will be damaged by or 

cause damage to vehicular traffic, livestock, persons, and property. 

Special Requirements (to be completed by the engineer): 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 6-1 

6 STRUCTURE ASSEMBLY (STEEL POLES) 

a Reference to Drawings 

(1) The contractor shall assemble each structure using the assemblies 

designated on the plan and profile drawings and as shown on the structure 

and assembly drawings in Part 2. 

(2) Connection details to assemble each structure are referenced on the 

structure drawings and included with the plans and specifications. 

Structure Framing 

(1) The contractor shall frame structures on flat or uniformly sloping terrain 

located at or near the structure site. A structure may be framed after the 

poles are set, if approved by the engineer. Framing on rolling terrain 

where poles become unsupported shall be avoided. If assembly on 

uniform terrain is not possible, the contractor shall temporarily support the 

pole and structure components with hardwood cribbing. 

(2) After the shaft sections are assembled, crossarms, hardware, climbing 

devices, insulators, etc., can be attached to the structure. The contractor 

shall take extra care to avoid damaging climbing devices during lifting or 

handling. 

(3) Bolts shall be properly tightened to prevent compressing the pole or 

components or overstressing the bolts. The method and torque used in 

tightening bolts shall be per the pole manufacturer's guidelines. 

(4) All hardware at a connection shall be compatible with the fastener 

diameter. The holes in the hardware shall be 1/16 of an inch greater than 

the fastener diameter, unless otherwise noted. 

(5) Fasteners shall be sized so that they extend not less than 1/2 of an inch or 

more than 2-1/2 inches beyond the face of the last nut or locknut. Bolts 

shall not be cut off unless approved by the engineer. 

(6) Pole ground wires shall be installed when specified and as shown on the 

plan-and-profile and/or structure drawings. 

(7) Guying attachments, where specified, shall be oriented as shown on the 

transmission line structure and guying attachment drawings in the Part 2, 

Drawings portion. 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 6-2 

(8) The contractor shall check the end fittings of crossarms, davit arms, 

braces, X-braces, and other factory-assembled components to verify that 

all factory-installed hardware is secured in accordance with 

manufacturer's specifications. The cost of retightening factory-installed 

hardware, if required, shall be included in the contractor's unit cost for 

pole top assemblies. 

c Special Requirements (to be completed by the engineer): 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 7-1 

7 STRUCTURE ERECTION 

a Reference to Drawings 

(1) The contractor shall verify structure locations prior to erecting structures. 

Structures and specified assemblies must be erected at locations shown on 

the plan-and-profile drawings. 

(2) Tangent structures shall be erected as shown on the transmission line 

structure drawings in Part 2. Single-pole structures or center of H-frames 

shall be placed on the survey centerline, unless offset to the left or right of 

the survey centerline by the dimension shown on the guying guide 

drawings or plan-and-profile drawings. 

(3) Angle structures and deadend structures shall be erected as shown on the 

structure drawings, guying guide drawings, and plan-and-profile drawings. 

The angle structure shall be offset to the left or right of the survey 

centerline, so all poles are offset by the dimension shown on the guying 

guide or plan-and-profile drawings. 

Structure Erection 

(1) Tangent structures with single crossarms shall be erected with crossarms 

on alternating sides of the poles. At crossings and long spans, crossarms 

shall be mounted on the face of the structure away from the crossing or 

long span. Crossings include highways, railroads, and any other overhead 

utility. 

(2) The contractor shall not overstress any members or connections when 

installing structures. 

(3) The contractor shall ensure hardware, bolts, nuts, and locknuts shall be 

tightened after erection of the structure as specified by the engineer per 

manufacturer's specifications. 

(4) Lifting and erection of the steel structure shall be according to the 

manufacturer's instructions. Chokers must be tight around the pole and a 

positive stop against sliding shall be provided. Slings shall be composed 

of nylon unless approved by the engineer. Use of any other sling material 

shall be approved by the owner. Bare steel cables shall not be used as a 

string. 

(5) After the shaft sections are assembled, crossarms, hardware, climbing 

devices, insulators, etc., can be attached to the structure. The contractor 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 7-2 

shall take extra care to avoid damaging climbing devices during lifting or 

handling. 

(6) During structure erection, slings, ropes, banding, tie downs, or other 

material shall not be applied to, or allowed to lie on insulators and/or 

components. For nonceramic insulators, the sheathing material over the 

fiberglass rod shall be inspected and, if any damage (i.e., cuts, scrapes or 

tears in the rubber material) is found to be caused by the contractor and 

that could allow moisture to penetrate to the fiberglass rod, the contractor 

shall replace the insulators at the contractor's expense. Nonceramic 

insulators and other fiberglass components shall not be bent or twisted. 

Excavation, Setting, and Backfill 

(1) All poles shall be embedded in soil to a minimum depth of 10 percent of 

the pole length plus 2 feet or an embedment depth specified on drawings, 

whichever is greater. Depth of the hole shall not be less than that 

specified nor more than 3 inches deeper. Where the ground is sloping, the 

embedded depth of multiple pole structures shall be as shown on the 

drawings. 

(2) Pole excavation shall be performed by auger, clamshell, or hand, and shall 

include removal of all materials necessary to provide a clean vertical hole 

to the required depth. 

(3) Blasting prior to excavating is only allowed with the engineer's and 

owner's approval; and only if an applicable permit is obtained. Care shall 

be exercised by the contractor when blasting in the vicinity of structures, 

utilities, etc., to prevent damage of any type. The contractor is responsible 

for any damage caused by blasting activity. 

(4) The stability of existing structures and facilities shall not be impaired or 

endangered by excavation work. Sheeting and shoring shall be provided 

by the contractor as required to protect and maintain the stability of 

existing structures and facilities and the sides of excavations and trenches 

until they are backfilled. Sheeting, bracing, and shoring shall be designed 

and built to withstand all loads caused by earth movement or pressure and 

shall maintain the shape of the excavation under all circumstances. 

(5) The contractor shall provide casing where required to maintain the 

stability of an excavated pole hole. Casing shall be designed and built to 

withstand all loads caused by earth movement or pressure and shall 

maintain the shape of the excavated pole hole under all circumstances. 

The casing shall be removed during backfill placement. Other methods to 

maintain stability of an excavated pole hole shall require prior approval of 

the engineer. 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 7-3 

(6) Poles shall be set and backfilled within 24 hours after excavation of the 

pole hole unless otherwise approved by the engineer. When poles are not 

immediately set and backfilled, the excavations shall be protected with a 

suitable barrier to prevent injury or damage to persons, equipment, or 

livestock. 

(7) Pole holes shall be a minimum of 8 inches larger in diameter than the butt 

diameter of the pole. When pole-bearing plates are used, pole holes shall 

be the minimum diameter necessary for installation of the pole and the 

bearing plate. The excavated hole shall be at least as large at the bottom 

as at the top. Alternative methods of pole setting may be used only with 

the approval of the engineer. 

(8) After excavation of a stable pole hole, any accumulated water or frozen 

matter shall be removed from the hole prior to setting the pole. Contractor 

shall provide suitable granular backfill material (see drawing TM-101 in 

Part 2) to level the bottom of a hole. Any soil added to level the bottom of 

a dry hole shall be compacted to a density greater than or equal to the 

density of the surrounding undisturbed soil before the pole is set. 

(9) Pole backfill material shall be approved by the engineer. The engineer's 

approval will be based on the compactibility of the native soil and its 

suitability for providing a dense, supportive soil mass, free of voids, 

organic, or other deleterious material, and not frozen. Where excavated 

material is not suitable for backfill as required by the engineer, the 

contractor shall furnish suitable granular imported material for this 

purpose which shall be paid in accordance with the unit price for granular 

backfill for poles. (See drawing TM-101, Part 2) 

(10) Poles shall be set plumb before and after the backfill is placed. If the 

poles are out of plumb, the backfill shall be removed and replaced. 

Plumbing of poles by pushing or pulling the structure shall not be 

permitted. The tolerance for plumbness shall be 1/2 inch in 10 feet of 

height. 

(11) Structures, prior to backfilling, shall be aligned with the conductor support 

at right angles (±1°) to the centerline of the transmission line except at 

angle structures where the arm shall bisect the angle (±10). Install 

crossarms level, except for raked structures, regardless of the terrain by 

varying the setting depths of the poles. The maximum deviation of the 

crossarm from the horizontal measured from end to end shall not exceed 

1/2 inch for each 10 feet of arm length. 

(12) Backfill shall be placed around the pole in layers not exceeding 6 inches in 

depth, with each layer mechanically tamped before the next layer is added. 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 7-4 

The backfill shall be compacted to a density equal to or greater than that of 

the surrounding undisturbed soil. 

(13) Each pole shall be backfilled from bottom to top by one laborer shoveling 

fill and two others using mechanical or pneumatic tampers. If imported 

granular backfill (TM-101, Part 2) is used, two mechanical or pneumatic 

tampers or two vibrating rods may be used to compact the imported 

granular backfill. 

(14) Backfill soil shall be banked up and tamped around the pole to a height of 

6 inches above the natural grade and shall be sloped away from the pole. 

(15) The backfill shall not extend higher than the below-grade protective 

coating. In situations where this cannot be avoided, the pole shall be 

properly protected against corrosion prior to backfilling and according to 

the manufacturer's instructions. 

(16) Structures shall be grounded as soon as practical after they are erected. 

(17) After completion of wire stringing, all poles shall be re-inspected to verify 

that poles remain plumb and the backfill has not settled. If settlement 

occurs, the engineer shall determine if backfill shall be added and tamped 

or if the backfill shall be completely removed and replaced. Added 

backfill shall be recompacted as previously specified. If required by the 

engineer, the backfill is to be completely dug out and replaced, the pole 

shall be readjusted, if necessary, and the backfill compacted as previously 

specified. This work shall be done at no additional cost to owner. 

(18) All excess excavated material and unused imported materials shall be 

disposed of properly after backfill operations are completed. When 

approved by the engineer, surplus excavated soil may be carefully spread 

and leveled on the surface of the ground near the structure and in a manner 

to minimize damage to the surrounding environment. 

Special Requirements (to be completed by the engineer): 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 8-1 

8 GUYS AND ANCHORS 

a Reference to Drawings. Guys and anchors shall be installed at locations shown 

on the drawing or specified by the engineer. The engineer will stake all anchor 

rod locations. The contractor shall check locations of anchors before installation. 

General Installation Requirements 

(1) Anchor rods shall be installed in line with the guy wire and placed so that 

not more than 8 inches of rod (including eye) remain out of the ground 

after guy tension is applied. In cultivated fields or other locations deemed 

necessary, the projection of the anchor rod above earth may be increased 

to a maximum 12 inches to prevent burial of the rod eye. 

(2) Anchors shall be of the type, size, and depth as shown on the drawings. 

(3) Slope of the anchor rod shall be the same as the guy. 

(4) The engineer may require the use of other type anchors whose installation 

shall follow the manufacturer's recommendations if ground conditions 

make the installation of the anchors shown on the construction drawings 

impossible. 

(5) The engineer must approve in writing, the excavated hole and anchor 

before the anchor hole is backfilled The holes shall be backfilled and 

tamped in the same manner as is required for steel pole backfilling. Onsite 

suitable native soil or approved imported granular material shall be used 

for anchor backfill. 

(6) Power-installed screw anchors shall be installed with the appropriate size 

and type of equipment in accordance with the engineer's requirements and 

manufacturer's recommendations. Screw anchors shall not be reversed to 

meet the requirements of projection of the rods above the ground. The 

engineer shall approve the final projection and witness all installations. 

(7) Where required by the engineer, anchors shall be tested to 50 percent of 

their designated ultimate rated capacity. All material and labor required 

for testing of the anchors shall be furnished by the contractor and included 

in the unit costs for testing anchors. 

(8) Guys shall be installed and attached to the structures as shown on the 

transmission line structure drawings before conductors or overhead ground 

wires are strung. Each guy shall be pre-tensioned to remove any slack in 

the guy. Guys will be re-tensioned after the conductors and overhead 

ground wires are installed to plumb the poles and to equalize tensions in 

the guys. If slack guys are found, they shall be readjusted so that all guys 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 8-2 

in any structure have approximately equal tension. The final tension in the 

guys and the plumb of the poles shall meet the approval of the engineer. 

c Special Requirements (to be completed by the engineer): 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 9-1 

9 GROUNDING AND BONDING 

a Reference to Drawings. All structures must be grounded as shown on the planand-profile drawings and transmission line structure drawings, and subject to the 

following provisions. 

Structure Grounding 

(1) The engineer may require that ground resistance measurements be made 

for each structure and that additional grounding be added to that already 

provided by the basic structure grounding assemblies. 

(2) Where structure grounding tests are required by the engineer, the 

contractor shall measure the ground resistance of the external ground after 

the structure is erected, but before the ground rod is attached to the pole. 

The method of measuring ground resistance must be subject to the 

approval of the engineer. The contractor shall provide a written report and 

a sketch of the ground resistance tests at each structure. 

(3) All labor and materials for ground resistance measurements and 

installation of additional grounding must be provided by the contractor 

and must be covered by the unit costs for testing and for grounding units. 

(4) The contractor shall install counterpoise only after approval of the 

engineer. 

(5) Overhead ground wire and optical ground wire (OPGW) shall be bonded 

to the pole as required by the drawings. Steel poles shall be bonded to the 

ground rod or counterpoise as specified by the drawings. 

Fence and Gate Grounding. Fence and gate grounds must be installed as shown 

on the drawings. All labor and material required must be furnished by the 

contractor at the unit prices for fence and gate grounding. 

Special Requirements (to be completed by the engineer): 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 10-1 

10 INSULATORS AND HARDWARE 

a (1) Reference to Drawings. Insulator and hardware assemblies must be fully 

assembled and installed as shown on the drawings. Items of hardware and 

insulators must be inspected for missing parts, defects, and proper fit 

before installation. Defective or missing pieces must be replaced. 

(2) Insulator Classification. In this section insulators are classified as ceramic 

and nonceramic insulators. Nonceramic insulators refer to insulators other 

than ceramic and toughened glass insulators, including composite 

insulators and polymer insulators. 

Handling and Storage for All Insulators 

(1) Insulators and hardware must be stored in their appropriate shipping 

containers until installation. They must be properly supported and stacked 

so as not to damage the individual items. They must be blocked up off the 

ground so that they cannot come in contact with the ground or standing 

water. 

(2) Insulators must be carefully handled to prevent damage to the porcelain 

skirts, pins, galvanizing, and cotter keys. A cradle or other suitable device 

must be used to hoist all insulator strings whenever the quantity exceeds 6 

units per string. 

(3) Insulators that are cracked, chipped, or damaged in any way must be 

replaced with units that are not defective. The cost for replacement of 

previously accepted units must be borne by the contractor. 

(4) All insulators must be wiped clean with a clean, soft, nonabrasive cloth. 

Additional Handling and Storage for Nonceramic Insulators 

(1) Handling practices for nonceramic insulators are different from those used 

for ceramic insulators. A single cut, puncture, or tear in the polymeric 

housing material covering the fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) rod may 

expose the rod to moisture and eventually cause mechanical failure of the 

insulator. The contractor shall be careful not to cut, puncture, or tear 

nonceramic insulators. 

(2) Nonceramic insulators shall be stored and transported to the job site in 

their original shipping containers. If the insulators are stored outside of 

their shipping containers, the insulators should never be lying down 

against the ground, walked on, stacked on top of each other, or transported 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 10-2 

hanging over the tailgate of a pickup truck. Nonceramic insulators shall 

be stored in a manner to prevent damage by rodents. 

(3) Care should be taken when unpacking nonceramic insulators to ensure that 

the polymeric housing is not cut or punctured. Insulators should be 

inspected for damage after removal from shipping containers. Any 

damage found shall be reported to the engineer immediately. 

(4) Nonceramic insulators shall not be lifted by their weathersheds. Long 

suspension insulators shall be carried by two workers and, if lifting with a 

rope or strap, attach it only to the insulator end fittings. Long suspension 

insulators should also be supported in the middle by workers to avoid 

bending since suspension insulators are generally not designed for bending 

or compressive loads. 

(5) Nonceramic insulators should be stored and transported in their shipping 

cartons or equivalent protection. If nonceramic insulators are removed 

from their original shipping containers and then transported to the job site, 

extreme care should be taken at all times to avoid damaging the polymeric 

housing material. No sharp objects, materials, tools, or corona rings 

should be placed either on top, or situated below the insulators. Insulators 

should not be stacked directly on one another (the end fitting of one may 

cut into the polymer housing of another). 

(6) Nonceramic insulators should not be tied down with rope over the housing 

material during transport or transported on overhead racks of line crew 

trucks where bending of the insulator occurs. 

Installation of All Insulators 

(1) All connections must be made in accordance with the drawings. Bolts 

must be torqued to the manufacturer's specifications. Cotter keys, where 

required, must be fully inserted. 

(2) Cotter key eyes on insulators and hardware items must be oriented toward 

the structure, or in such a way as to facilitate easy removal during hot line 

maintenance. 

(3) Pins and bolts to insulator string assemblies must be oriented with the 

head upright wherever possible. 

(4) Pin-type insulators must be tight on the pins. On tangent structures, the 

top groove must be in line with the conductor after tying in. 

, (5) After installation, insulators should not be climbed on. Conductors should 

not be temporarily laid on the sheds or housing of composite or on the 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 10-3 

bells or posts of porcelain. Insulators should be kept clean of dirt and 

contaminants, specifically electrical contact compounds. 

Additional Installation Requirements for Nonceramic Insulators 

(1) During installation, nonceramic insulators should not be subjected to any 

loads that it would not normally see in service. Nonceramic insulators 

shall not be subjected to any torque forces. 

(2) Insulators should not be lifted by their sheds. Slings or pulling ropes 

should never be placed over the sheds or housing. 

(3) The insulator should be thoroughly inspected before and after installation. 

Damaged insulators should not be used and should be marked for 

inspection by qualified utility personnel. 

(4) Corona or grading rings shall be installed per manufacturer's 

recommendations. 

Special Requirements (to be completed by the engineer): 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 11-1 

11 CONDUCTORS AND OVERHEAD GROUND WIRE 

a General 

(1) All conductor and overhead ground wire installation work must be done in 

accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations and the IEEE 

Standard 524, "Guide to the Installation of Overhead Transmission Line 

Conductors." If there is a discrepancy between the guide and the 

manufacturer's recommendation, the contractor should follow the 

manufacturer's recommendation. The following provisions are for tension 

stringing of conductors and overhead ground wires. IEEE Standard 524 

may be obtained from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 

445 Hoes Lane, P.O. Box 1331, Piscataway, N.J., 08855-1331, USA or at 

https://standards.ieee.org/standard/524-2016.html. 

(2) It is very important to avoid damaging the wire or the associated fittings in 

any way. It is the contractor's responsibility to protect the wire and 

fittings against damage. If the wire and associated materials are damaged 

due to the contractor's mishandling, negligence, or faulty equipment, the 

contractor shall repair or replace the damaged sections, including 

furnishing of necessary materials, in a manner satisfactory to the owner 

and at no additional cost to the owner. 

Handling and Storage 

(1) Reels of wire must be stored off the ground and adequately supported so 

as to avoid damage to the reel, protective covering, and wire. Wire and 

reels must be kept free of standing water, excessive dust, and mud, and 

stored no closer than 50 feet from an energized portion of a substation or 

transmission line. The conductor must be covered. 

(2) Protective covering must be removed at the job site and the outside layer 

of each reel must be examined by the contractor and the engineer to be 

sure that the wire is in good condition and that no nails, staples, or other 

sharp objects, which could damage the wire during unreeling, protrude on 

the inside of the reel heads. 

(3) Identification tags and markers must be retained on the reels. For future 

reference, the contractor shall record on forms supplied by the engineer, 

the reel number, length of wire, net weight, and the structure numbers 

where the wire was installed. 

(4) Conductor reels should not be rolled. They should be lifted or transported 

by a reel dolly. If they do need to be rolled to a location where they can 

be easily handled, they should be rolled in the direction that would tend to 

tighten rather than loosen the conductor on the reel. 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 11-2 

Tools and Equipment 

(1) Tools and equipment for wire work must be of the proper size and type for 

the job and must be in good working condition. Sheaves, tensioners, 

pullers, wire grips compressors, and dies must be properly sized for the 

specific wires to be installed. 

(2) Stringing blocks must be neoprene-lined, free running, and of the proper 

diameter and groove size for the wire being pulled. See IEEE Std. 524-

2016 for sizing specifications. 

(3) Tensioner bullwheels must be neoprene-lined and of the proper size and 

design for the wire being pulled. See IEEE Std. 524-2016 for sizing 

specifications. 

(4) V-Groove pullers shall not be used for annealed aluminum conductors, 

including but not limited to ACSS (Aluminum Conductor SteelSupported) and ACSS/TW (Trapezoidal-Shaped Strand Concentric-Lay 

Stranded Aluminum Conductors, Steel-Supported) wire. 

Guard Structures 

(1) Guard structures must be furnished and installed by the contractor, where 

required, to prevent the conductor or overhead ground wires which are 

being pulled from coming into contact with existing overhead electric 

supply lines, communication lines, roads, highways, and railroads crossed 

by the transmission line. All labor and materials required must be 

furnished by the contractor and included in the unit cost for conductor 

units. 

(2) If not part of the right-of-way agreement previously executed, permission 

to install guard structures on private property or public highway right-ofway must be obtained by (engineer to check one): 

Private Public 

• The borrower or engineer 111 

• The contractor 

(3) After completion of all wire work, the contractor shall remove the guard 

structures, fill and tamp all pole holes, and restore the right-of-way and 

access to its original condition. 

e Stringing 

(1) The method of installing the conductor and the overhead ground wire must 

be as designated by the engineer. When controlled tension stringing is 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 11-3 

specified, it must be performed in accordance with IEEE Standard 524, 

"Guide to the Installation of Overhead Transmission Line Conductors," 

and subject to the manufacturer's concurrence (engineer to check one for 

each): 

(a) Conductor Installation 

• Controlled Tension Stringing 

• Other (specify) 

(b) Overhead Ground Wire Installation 

• Controlled Tension Stringing 

• Other (specify) 

(2) The precise stringing procedure which the contractor intends to use must 

be submitted to the engineer for review and approval prior to any wire 

work. This procedure must include a description of all major pieces of 

equipment to be used, number of crews, composition and responsibilities 

of each crew, proposed equipment set up locations, wire reel locations, 

locations of all splices, and locations and descriptions of temporary snubs 

and anchors. 

(3) Extreme care must be exercised during the wire stringing operation to 

avoid damage to conductor or overhead ground wire strands. If damage is 

found, the stringing must be stopped. Damage is defined as any deformity 

of the wire which can be detected by sight or touch. Kinked, twisted, 

abraded, "bird-caged," or flattened wire will not be allowed to remain on 

the line. Any wire so damaged must be repaired or replaced by the 

contractor at his or her own expense and to the satisfaction of the engineer. 

(4) The contractor shall continuously inspect the wire as it leaves the reels. If 

the wire has an accumulation of dirt, oil, grease, or any other foreign 

substance, such substance must be removed as the wire leaves the reels 

during the stringing operation by a method approved by the engineer. 

(5) Wire tension during stringing must be high enough to ensure that the wire 

does not drag across the ground, underbrush, trees, towers, fences, guard 

structures, or any other surface other than the stringing sheaves. A 

stringing tension of not less than 50 percent nor more than 80 percent of 

the initial sagging tension should be used. 

(6) No more than two reels of wire per phase may be pulled at a time. Full 

tension compression splices must not be pulled through the stringing 

blocks. 

(7) When stringing wire on H-frame structures, the center phase must always 

be pulled first. The outside phases must be pulled alternately in 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 11-4 

successive pulls. If all three phases are strung in one pull, the middle 

phase must lead the outer phases by not less than 100 feet. 

(8) Wire must not be pulled during adverse weather conditions or when such 

conditions are imminent as determined by the engineer. 

(9) The air temperature at the time and place of stringing must be determined 

by a certified thermometer. 

(10) For conductor wires with more than one layer of annealed aluminum 

strands (i.e., ACSS, Aluminum Conductor Steel-Supported), the contractor 

shall use a minimum of two grips per wire. 

f Sagging 

(1) Wires must be sagged to the proper tensions in accordance with the initial 

stringing sag and tension tables provided by the engineer. Sags will be 

checked by sighting with target and transit as indicated in IEEE Standard 

524. Sags must be within a tolerance of +3 and 0 inches of the specified 

values. When approved by the engineer, sags may be checked by the 

return wave method. 

(2) The air temperature at the time and place of clipping in must be 

determined using a certified thermometer. Air temperature and sag 

measurement of the span being sagged must be recorded and provided to 

the engineer. 

(3) In hilly or mountainous terrain, the offset clipping method may be 

required in order to ensure equalized tensions and plumbing of insulators 

on suspension structures. Calculations for offset clipping/sag corrections 

must be done and values for sagging must be furnished by the engineer. 

The contractor shall furnish all stringing set up information to the engineer 

at least 6 weeks prior to the sagging operations. The contractor shall keep 

a record of sag data. 

(4) The contractor shall select the length of each sag and the sag-checking 

spans, subject to the review and approval of the engineer. The 

contractor's sagging method must result in uniform tensions throughout 

the sag and the allowable sag tolerances must not be exceeded. 

(5) The contractor shall budget the stringing time so that a reel of wire is 

sagged within not less than 2 hours and not more than 24 hours after a 

section of wire has been pulled through all blocks. If this is not possible in 

isolated areas, the engineer shall be consulted regarding the necessity of 

using creep correction factors with the specified chart sags. 
(3) 

RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 11-5 

(6) The contractor shall make any necessary adjustments in the wires or 

clamps at any time during the construction period to ensure that the wire is 

at the proper tension, sags are within tolerance, suspension insulator 

strings and overhead ground wire assemblies hang plumb. 

g Clipping. Deadending, and Splicing 

(1) The contractor shall take into consideration the strength limitations of all 

structures in so far as the application of temporary wire stringing loads. 

All temporary back snubs and pull-downs on structures other than strain 

structures must be carefully planned and must meet the approval of the 

engineer. 

(2) Use of wire reels must be carefully planned to minimize the number of full 

tension splices. There must never be more than one compression fitting 

per wire in any span and splices must not be located within 25 feet of a 

conductor support. Splices must not be located in spans over roads, 

railroads, and utility crossings, or in the spans adjacent to the crossing 

span. Splices must also not be located in the span where the conductor is 

to be deadended. 

Compression deadends and splices must be installed in accordance with 

the manufacturer's recommendations. Conductor strands within the splice 

area must be carefully cleaned with a steel brush, cotton rags, and 

solvents. Filler compound must be furnished, and pressure installed by the 

contractor. Special care must be exercised in making compression fittings 

to ensure use of proper die size, accurate cutting of wire, complete 

insertion of the cable strands, and pressing to produce a straight, uniform 

fitting. The contractor shall make up one splice and deadend to use as a 

sample in order to determine how much wire needs to be cut back. 

After completion of pressing operations, the contractor shall clean the wire 

and fittings of excess grease and compound. All burrs and die flash marks 

must be removed with emery cloth. 

U-bolts on suspension clamps and strain deadend clamps must be evenly 

torqued to the manufacturer's recommended values. Keeper plates must 

be in place and properly seated. Conductor strands within the area of the 

fitting must be clean. The recommended cleaning method is to use a steel 

brush, cotton rags, and solvents. 

(6) The total time that the wires are allowed to remain in the stringing blocks 

before being clipped in should not exceed 72 hours after wires have been 

sagged. If this time is exceeded, damage may occur to the wires and/or 

blocks. Wires must be lifted from the blocks using standard suspension 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 11-6 

clamps or plate hooks 8 inches or larger to provide adequate support for 

the cables without damaging individual strands or kinking the wire. 

(7) With pin-type insulators, the wires must be tied in the top groove of the 

insulator on tangent poles and on the side of the insulator away from the 

strain at angles. Factory-formed ties must be installed in accordance with 

the manufacturer's recommendations. 

(8) Following completion of clipping or deadending wire, the contractor shall 

install dampers according to manufacturer's and/or engineer's drawings 

and instructions. 

OPGW and other Special Wire. 

When OPGW or other non-ACSR wire is to be installed, the manufacturer should 

be consulted prior to the handling and installation. 

Jumper 

(1) Jumpers must be installed as shown on the drawings. Compression 

jumper terminals must be used with compression deadends and 

compression jumper connectors must be used with strain clamps. The cost 

of installation of these items must be included with the bid units for 

installing conductors. All jumpers must be installed in accordance with 

the manufacturer's recommendations. 

(2) Jumper wire loops must be of sufficient length to present a smooth, 

uniformly curving appearance and which do not put the jumper string of 

insulators in compression. Excess length of conductor from the wirestringing operation may be used to make up the jumper loops. 

Temporary Grounds 

(1) During the wire work, the contractor shall take all necessary steps to 

ensure proper temporary grounding of the structures, cables, and 

equipment. All applicable Federal, State, and local safety regulations 

must be strictly followed. 

(2) A record of all temporary conductor grounds must be kept to ensure that 

they are all removed, and the line can be safely energized at the end of the 

construction period. 

Reels and Excess Conductor 

(1) When wire is furnished by the borrower, the contractor shall be 

responsible for salvaging the wire reels and all excess conductor and 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 11-7 

overhead ground wire. All such wire must be inventoried, placed on reels, 

and returned to the borrower or disposed of as directed by the engineer. 

(2) Returnable reels must be shipped back to the wire fabricators in 

accordance with the engineer's instruction. Nonreturnable wood reels 

must be disposed of in a manner meeting the approval of the engineer. 

(3) All costs associated with the receiving, handling, shipping, or disposal of 

excess wire and reels must be in the labor costs for installation of wire 

units. 

1 Special Conditions (to be completed by the engineer): 
RUS Bulletin 1724E-224 

Page 12-1 

12 INDEX to DRAWINGS 

The following drawings are part of the technical specification (engineer to complete): 
PART 2 

DRAWINGS