What Is a Lattice Tower? Types, Uses and Design

A lattice tower is the structure most people picture when they think of a high-voltage power line. It is a tall steel frame that holds conductors high above the ground so electricity can travel long distances safely. This guide explains what a lattice tower is, the main types, where each is used, and what goes into designing, making and testing one. It is based on the experience of Skipper Limited, which has operated for 45+ years and has supplied over 2 million metric tons of towers worldwide.

What is a lattice tower?

A lattice tower is a structure built from steel members arranged in a framework, with open spaces between them. The members are joined with bolts and fasteners to form the tower body, the cross arms that carry the conductors, and the legs that connect to the foundation. The open framework gives strength while keeping the structure's weight lower than a solid tower of the same height.

Lattice towers carry power lines at transmission voltages. Skipper's towers cover voltage classes from 132 kV through 220 kV, 330 kV, 400 kV and 500 kV up to 765 kV.

Types of lattice towers

Skipper's portfolio includes lattice towers in several forms. The right choice depends on the terrain, the land available, the line voltage and the cost of building and maintaining the line.

Self-supported lattice towers: stand on their own legs and foundations. Skipper tests self-supported lattice towers at its tower test station.
Guyed lattice towers: held upright by stay wires. Guyed towers have a simple design, are easy to construct and weigh less per tower. They use less steel and cost less to build. They are generally preferred for lines in remote areas or where land use is limited, and are typically used in shallow hills and deserts, where operation and maintenance are easier.
V-guyed towers: lattice structures held by stay wires, with the insulator strings arranged in a V-shape.

Where lattice towers are used

Long-distance power transmission lines across countryside and open land.
Double-circuit lines, such as a 220 kV double-circuit line with Twin Moose conductor.
Remote locations, where guyed designs can reduce steel use and cost.
International projects: Skipper has supplied 330 kV and 500 kV towers for Project Energy Connect in Australia, 500 kV towers for the Colectora substation line in Colombia, and 500 kV towers for the Saudi Arabia Egypt Interconnection Project, among others.

How a lattice tower is designed

Design comes first. A tower has to carry the weight of the conductors, resist wind and other loads, and meet the requirements of the utility that will use it. Skipper handles tower design in-house, and offers tower design services as part of an end-to-end offering that covers design, manufacturing, testing, logistics and on-site fitment.

Good design also saves money. Skipper's optimised designs aim to reduce project costs and avoid the need for rectification on site.

How a lattice tower is made

Skipper's manufacturing is backward-integrated, so the main steps happen under one roof:

Rolling: steel is rolled into the sections the tower needs, using in-house rolling mills. Skipper uses 100% tested billets from steel plants.
Fabrication: automated CNC lines cut, punch and prepare the members. Production is 90%+ automated.
Galvanizing: finished members are hot-dip galvanized for corrosion resistance. Skipper has seven in-house galvanizing plants with capacity above 300,000 MT per year.
Fasteners: bolts and accessories are manufactured in-house.
Packing and dispatch: bundles are wire-woven and metal-strapped with barcoding, and export packing adds lashing and choking for safe shipping.

To learn more about the coating, see our guide to hot dip galvanizing. For fasteners, see Demystifying Fasteners.

Why testing matters

Before a tower design goes into a line, it is built as a prototype and loaded to check that it performs as designed. Skipper's tower test station has two fully independent test beds at one location, which can test towers up to 1200 kV and up to 120 m in height. It tests self-supported lattice towers, guyed lattice towers, monopoles, composite insulated cross arms and substation structures. The test station is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017.

Customers can watch two tests in a single visit, and the station runs round the clock throughout the year.

Heaviest and tallest towers supplied by Skipper

Client	Voltage / type	Height	Weight
Saudi Electricity Company	500 kV 'A' test tower	98.505 m	115 t
MCA Nepal	QD M/C proto tower	76 m	172 t
Power Grid Corporation of India	765 kV DD60 (spl) + 55 proto tower	125 m	234 t
NGCP (Philippines)	500 kV DT4ten5-Z1-500 test tower	105 m	90 t

Lattice tower or monopole?

Lattice towers are not the only choice. Where space is limited, such as urban corridors, utility diversions and right-of-way-constrained areas, tubular steel monopoles can be a space-efficient alternative. Skipper makes both. Read more in Why Monopole Towers are Becoming Essential for Modern Transmission Lines.

How to choose a lattice tower supplier

Check design capability: can the supplier design, prototype and test in-house?
Ask about voltage classes and past projects at your voltage.
Look at corrosion protection: in-house galvanizing and quality control.
Confirm testing: accredited facilities and full-scale prototype testing.
Check quality certifications, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.
Ask about lead times and logistics for your location.

About Skipper Limited

Skipper Limited is a global transmission and distribution infrastructure and engineering solutions provider, with engineering production capacity of 375K MTPA and customers in 65+ countries. Registered office: 3A, Loudon Street, Kolkata-700017, India. To discuss a lattice tower requirement, contact our team through the Contact Us page.