Power Transmission

Towers

Outstanding towers

The highest tower: 175 m

The highest tower is the one that crosses the Saint-Laurent, close to Tracy generating station. It is as high as Montréal’s Olympic Stadium.

The heaviest tower:

640 metric tons

The longest span:

2,026 m

Transmission towers support the high-voltage conductors of overhead power lines, from the generating station switchyard right up to the source substations and satellite substations located near populated areas.

Their shape, height and sturdiness (mechanical strength) depend on the stresses to which they are exposed. Towers do not transmit electricity themselves unless lightning strikes the ground wire strung along the top of the structure. This cable is designed to protect conductors by allowing lightning discharges to reach the ground through the tower.

Types of towers

Tower components

© Hydro-Québec, 1996-2024. All rights reserved.

Logo Hydro-Québec