The rationalization plan for the electricity grid in the province of Lodi, Italy includes building a new 380-kV long distance power line connecting the future electricity stations of Chignolo Po and Maleo, for eliminating the “bottlenecks” that are presently congesting the grid allowing in this way the recovery of productive efficiency for at least 400 MW, equal to half the power of a big electricity plant.

The plan was presented by Terna, Rome, Italy, before the President of the Province, Lino Osvaldo Felissari, the President of the Adda Sud regional park, the mayors of the townships of Maleo, Corno Giovine, Fombio, Orio Litta, San Fiorano, Santo Stefano Lodigiano, Senna Lodigiana, Somaglia, and Terna’s representatives, the company responsible for developing electricity transmission infrastructures in Italy.

Terna’s activity will allow reducing transmission losses of up to 67 million kWh, equal to the consumption of almost 30,000 families and a vast rationalization of the high voltage grid with a significant reduction in the environmental impact of the power lines. The number of kilometres of power lines eliminated will be over twice that of the new infrastructures: 64 km of lines to be demolished and 27 km of new overhead power lines to be built (23 km of a new 380-kV power line and 4 km of lower tension connectors). The overall investment will amount to over 100 million euro.

At the technological level, the project includes the predominant use of single pole tubular structures to replace the traditional pyramid-shaped pylons. The use of this type of pylon will allow reducing the area of the territory to be occupied by the power lines as well as freeing a large portion of the ground (5 sq. m for a single pole pylon compared to the 250 sq. m of the traditional pyramid-shaped pylon).

The activity which has been planned will also provide the opportunity to expand the bicycle course so that the Lodi area will become the “bicycle province.”

The presentation follows preliminary discussions between Terna, the province of Lodi, the Adda Sud park and the 8 townships involved by the crossing of the new line, that have allowed identifying a segment of the territory in which the electricity line will be installed according to criteria that will significantly reduce the environmental and landscape impact. This will avoid sacrificing additional areas of the land, for example, by combining as much as possible the existing grids and infrastructures.

The outcome of these discussions led to reducing the overall length for the new line and identifying a path that will allow using low impact pylons in harmony with the urban-territorial planning of the Province and its townships. The contents of the agreement between Terna and the local bodies involved will be submitted to the approval of the various different councils. Subsequently, Terna will submit the operational planning, in compliance with the criteria agreed upon throughout the province, to the Ministry for Economic Development for receiving the necessary authorization (Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Integrated Authorization).

Work is expected to begin within the end of 2008. The project is part of the National Transmission Grid’s Development Plan that also includes the need to strengthen the grid between the North and the West and the North and the East in Italy, the country’s
most important production area.