ENR 2025 Global Best Projects
Award of Merit, Power/Industrial: 275-KV Transmission Line from PMU New Prai to PMU the Light

The 8.5-km line is supported by 25 monopole towers and six 100-m-tall landmark towers with a twin curved-leg design.
275-KV Transmission Line From PMU New Prai to PMU the Light
Penang, Malaysia
Award of Merit, Power/Industrial
Submitted by China Harbour Engineering Co. Ltd.
Owner: Tenaga Nasional Berhad
Lead Design Firm: AECOM Perunding Sdn Bhd.
Contractor: China Harbour Engineering Co. Ltd.
Structural Engineer: AECOM Perunding Sdn Bhd.
To connect a power plant to a substation on Penang Island, the contractors delivering this project needed to build a transmission line that would cross the Penang Strait, pitting the project team against high winds, tides and complex geologies.
The 8.5-km line is supported by 25 monopole towers and six 100-m-tall landmark towers with a twin curved-leg design that was inspired by local betel plants.
The in-water towers sit on precast pile caps with skirts to deal with the project site’s soft, variable subsurface conditions. The towers also feature a dual-layer anti-corrosion protection system that’s designed to help them last 100 years in the challenging marine environment. The project team also conducted wind tunnel tests at Southwest Jiaotong University to ensure the towers’ stability in high winds.
The team used drones for stringing the lines, which enhanced precision and efficiency, and reduced risks associated with working at heights. They also used drones for daily safety patrols to detect any risks.
Additionally, the tower’s aesthetic lighting system integrates aviation warning and landscape enhancement functions, says the project team, thereby “showcasing the ‘greening’ and ‘humanization’ of infrastructure while enhancing the city’s brand.”
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