Fiberglass Conduit for Utility Infrastructure

The United States power grid delivers $400 billion of electricity across seven million miles of transmission and distribution lines. It is a system comprised of generating plants, wires, transformers and substations for homes and businesses that are a part of the world’s largest economy.

Electrical conduit, used to protect wire and cable from generating facilities through distribution to the end-user, is a crucial piece of the power grid. That’s why electrical engineers and electrical contractors rely on Champion Fiberglass to deliver strong, durable conduit solutions that protect America’s infrastructure of wire and cable. Our products have been used successfully in hundreds of utilities projects since 1988, including Dominion Power, Westar Energy, Hoover Dam, TVA Powerhouse, and the Niagara Falls Observation Deck.

Why use fiberglass conduit in utility applications?

Not just any conduit can help keep utilities running. Champion Fiberglass RTRC conduit is specifically engineered for optimum performance to protect cable and wires through all stages of the electrical grid. Lightweight, durable fiberglass conduit provides superior protection of infrastructure, and is cost-competitive on conduit sizes 2” and above.

Lightweight conduit helps facilitate smooth utility installation whether above ground or below ground, and thanks to lower installation rates project owners get the best of both worlds. Fiberglass conduit offers both lower materials and labor costs for projects, per the NECA Manual of Labor Rates.

Unlike PVC pipe which is known to become brittle in low temperatures, fiberglass conduit offers excellent handling in low temperatures. Fiberglass offers a wide temperature range of -40 to +230℉ compared to PVC Schedule 40 and Schedule 80’s range of just +40℉ to +150℉ and is UV Stable per UL 2515 & CSA C22.2 No. 211.3-96, making it the right choice for year-round installations.

Innovative Solutions to Electrical Infrastructure:

In one project the distance between the concrete vaults was extended from every 250 feet using SCH80 PVC up to every 750 feet when using fiberglass conduit through the duct bank, due to RTRC’s extremely low coefficient of friction, resulting in approximately $3 million in cost savings.

Champion Fiberglass keeps the power flowing with no-fault, no-burn-through conduit for underground utilities.

For more than 35 years we’ve honed our expertise and have emerged as a trusted conduit provider for utility projects large and small. From hydroelectric power stations to pole risers to renewables like solar projects, Champion Fiberglass has completed hundreds of projects in the utility market in the United States and Canada. Whether your application calls for direct burial or raceway encased in concrete, Champion Fiberglass RTRC is a strong and durable conduit solution for your next utilities project.

• Utility conduit is priced over decades, not over a single install.
• Champion Fiberglass RTRC conduit qualifies under the Build America, Buy America Act for federally funded utility work, is UL 2420 Listed for Direct Buried and Encased Buried construction, and is UL 2515 Listed for overhead utility conduit and the above-ground riser transition.
• It is approximately 15X lighter than PVC-coated steel, as published in the Champion Fiberglass Product Comparison Chart, which lowers crew size, lifting equipment and installation hours at the outset.
• Over the service life the larger saving is elsewhere: the conduit does not rust, so there are no rust-related conduit failures to locate, no coating repair intervals, and no excavation and reinstatement cost to replace failed sections of buried underground utility conduit.