Pylons of Messina

The power line crossing the Strait of Messina is used for connection of the power grid of Sicily to the Italian mainland. It exists since 1955 and until 1994 was implemented as an overhead line crossing, where masts are still standing.

Overhead line crossing

Crossing poles

In 1955, for the realization of a high- voltage line ( until 1971 with a voltage of 150 kV, then from 220 kV) substation from the Calabrian Scilla ( Lage38.23666715.741111 ) for substation Sicilian Messina Santo ( Lage38.17444415.538056 ) at the Strait of Messina, Torre Faro ( Sicily) and Cannitello di Villa San Giovanni (Calabria ) ever built a 224 meters high, designed as a free-standing lattice tower pylon. Each of these towers stands on a cruciform 8 meters (26 ft) high foundation, so that gives a total height of 232 m, and bears at an altitude of 212 meters ( 696 ft) a cross member for accommodating four conductor cables. Two other conductors took place at the V- shaped tip, which was also the ground wires were mounted. In contrast to conventional masts the corner posts of the masts were arranged diagonally to the progression of the line direction. This arrangement was also later adopted in the Elbe crossing 1 in Germany. The masts of the overhead line crossing the Strait of Messina were up to the completion of the Elbe crossing 2, the highest overhead line masts in the world.

The duration and amplitude of the natural vibration of the overhead line masts from Messina was determined after its completion in a very unusual way in which three missiles with 9800 kN thrust were detonated at their peak.

The overhead line crossing went with four conductor cables, one of which served as a reserve, as einsystemige 150 kV line into operation. 1971 two conductor cables have been installed and increased operating voltage to 220 kV, resulting in a transmission capacity of 300 MVA revealed.

As a conductor cables with single ropes were 45 square millimeters aluminum cross-section and 305 square millimeters structural steel section called AlSt-45/305-Seile, used for both systems. The minimum height of the conductors above the Strait of Messina was 70 meters. To achieve this with the span of 3,646 m, a tensile stress of 608 N / mm ² in the conductor cables was necessary.

In the 1980s, the transmission capacity of this facility was no longer adequate. Since it was not possible to increase the transmission capacity of the conductor bundles or ropes better conductivity because conductor bundle in the long span more to wind-induced vibrations that can cause short circuits, tend as a single conductor and because ropes better conductivity not withstand the required tension, was 1985 moved through the Strait of Messina, a 380 - kV submarine cable of 1000 MW transmission capacity.

The overhead line crossing was shut down in 1993 and a year later the conductor cables have been removed.

After dismantling the conductors the masts were placed under monument protection and used as a meteorological station, an exercise of rescues and height as the antenna support.

Since 2006, a rise of over 1250 steps to the mast on the Sicilian side is possible.

Switching stations

Pictures wanted

Unlike other comparable overhead line crossings switching stations were built at both ends of the tension field whose buildings still exist today. The ropes of the overhead line crossing were - in contrast to virtually all other overhead line crossings wider waterways - stretched like the top line of a sheet having a chuck at one end. The rigid end of the overhead line crossing was in the station at Cannitello in Calabria, the jig was placed on the station in Sicily in a building with two towers, which still stands today.

Feeder line

The power line from the substation to the former Scilla switching station in Cannitello still exists but is unused. The line from the substation to substation Torre Faro Messina Santo likely to have been now completely disassembled.

Seekabelquerung

In 1994 moved to replace the overhead line crossing submarine cable is part of the single feeder 380 - kV line from the substation to substation Sorgente Rizziconi on Calabria. It has a transmission capacity of 1000 MW and begins on south of Villa San Giovanni Calabria located on the end coming from the substation Rizziconi overhead line and reached Sicily in the city of Messina. This goes through it underground cables before it ends in the north of Messina, where the overhead line substation Sorgente starts.

The cable consists of four conductors, wherein the fourth conductor is used as a reserve.

Planned second 380 kV cable

It is planned to build another 380 - kV line between Sorgente and Rizziconi. It should have a maximum transmission capacity of 2000 MW, and a length of 105 km. The Seekabelsektion this line will be 38 km long.