The Atwell Difference
We serve clients across the generation, delivery, and mission critical markets by providing both the critical information needed for decision-making and the integrated services to execute those decisions successfully.
Our turnkey approach means clients have a single point of contact for everything from routing, planning, permitting, and environmental considerations to right of way acquisition services, survey, engineering, design, procurement, and construction.
With decades of experience and thousands of successful projects, Atwell’s specialized team consistently delivers safe, high-quality results—on time and within budget—for generation developers, electric cooperatives, investor-owned utilities, industrial clients, and municipalities.
Our High Voltage Design Solutions
Atwell’s Power & Energy team delivers comprehensive electrical, structural, and civil engineering services tailored to the evolving needs of electric utility clients nationwide. With a team of over 300 skilled professionals—including industry-leading experts in power systems engineering and design—we bring deep technical knowledge and practical insight to every project. We recognize the complex challenges facing today’s utilities, from safety and budget constraints to workforce retirements, talent retention, renewable integration, and regulatory demands. Our collaborative approach helps utilities transform these challenges into opportunities, strengthening their core operations, enhancing efficiency, and leveraging national best practices and technological innovation.
Transmission Engineering
Atwell maintains a successful reputation analyzing ageing transmission infrastructure in the United States through a unique multi-faceted approach. Our team evaluates new and existing transmission line structures, conductors and corridors.
Our approach centers around the support we provide through cost estimating, conceptual design, and electrical studies to support rate cases for rebuild, reinforcement, storm hardening, resiliency, fire mitigation, and reliability. Transmission line design is often complicated due to poor communication surrounding project constraints and solutions which leads to budgetary overruns in further stages of the project. Atwell transmission line engineers and designers pride themselves on rapid communication throughout conceptual design, permitting, land acquisition, procurement, constructability, and construction.
Atwell’s electrical transmission line design team partners with utilities across North America to support projects ranging from 35kV to 500kV, from concept through completion. Our combined experience totals over 100 years supporting all aspects of the project lifecycle. We have supported a wide range of projects, including specialized reconductoring, partial and full rebuilds, and new transmission line structures. Our engineers and designers are cross-trained in both overhead (OH) and underground (UG) transmission systems—and specialize in hybrid solutions that combine UG and OH components to enhance efficiency and reduce risk.
We have a wide range of services, including:
- Overhead Existing Transmission Lines
- Overhead New Transmission Lines and Re-builds
- Overhead Transmission Foundation and Structural Analysis
- Underground Transmission Line Design
We deliver comprehensive transmission line engineering services across the full lifecycle of overhead and underground systems. From asset evaluation and life extension studies to new line development, structural analysis, and complex underground design, our team supports utilities and energy developers with technically rigorous, constructable solutions. Whether reinforcing existing infrastructure or designing new 500kV corridors, we integrate engineering precision with real-world field conditions to enhance reliability, resilience, and long-term performance.
- Transmission Overhead & Underground Line Design (35kV to 500kV New Lines, 35kV to 500kV Existing Lines Partial & Full Rebuild, Fiber Optic Cable & Shield Wire Additions, Line Reconductoring, HVDC)
- Advanced Structural Analysis
- Civil Design including Terrain Grading and foundations/ footing design
- Conceptual & Design Cost Estimates
- Constructability Reviews
- Damage Assessment and Repair Planning
- Drawings and Technical Specifications
- Environmental Impact Assessments, Studies, & Permits
- Land and Right of Way Solutions
- Lattice Tower Analysis & Design
- Lightning Shielding and Grounding System Design
- Line Reliability Studies
- Overhead to Underground Conversions
- Rate Case Support & Estimating
- Reinforcement & Retrofitting of Structures
- Route Selection & ROW Analysis
- Steel Embedded & Custom Pole Analysis & Design
- Survey/Legal Description Creation
- Storm Water Management Design & Permitting
- Tower, Insulators, and Conductor Selection
- Utility Crossing Exhibits
- Wood Pole Analysis & Design
Substation Engineering
Electrical substations are the heart of the electric transmission and distribution network. We provide full in-house support for the engineering and design of transmission and distribution substations. From an initial conceptual site plan, civil design, and cost estimates to assisting with project development, our team is here to help.
Atwell’s seasoned substation engineering team has experience in comprehensive substation design projects ranging from 4kV to 500kV, including conceptual, brownfield, and greenfield developments. With proven expertise in managing large-scale designs, relay replacement upgrades, and advanced steel structure analysis, our experts have supported storm restoration and evaluation efforts, evaluated historic steel lattice structures for replacement, updated system studies, created planning models, and ensured NERC and CIP compliance. We bring in-house capabilities across system planning and studies engineering, protection and control engineering, and structural engineering, enabling us to deliver complete, efficient, and compliant substation solutions.
Our team has significant expertise in AIS and GIS substations and a strong foundation in renewable generation and interconnection agreements, positioning us to assist utilities in addressing backlogs of interconnection requests. We help evaluate system upgrade scopes and provide cost estimates for generation interconnection applicants.
We provide comprehensive substation engineering services spanning planning, design, protection, control, and construction support. Our multidisciplinary team ensures seamless integration across civil, structural, electrical, and systems components.
Our range of services includes:
- Bill of Material & Equipment Specification & Approval
- Civil Site Services
- Conceptual Engineering
- Environmental Due Diligence and Permitting
- Feasibility Studies
- Grounding & Lightning Studies
- Inter-substation and Intra-substation
- Telecommunication Integration
- Major Equipment Specifications
- Materials and Equipment Specification
- Protective Relaying Applications
- Relay Protection Coordination
- SCADA/RTU and Digital Fault Recorder Design
- System Planning Studies
- Field Engineering & Construction Support
- Technical Procurement Support & Specifications
- Testing and Commissioning Support
- Security & Fire Protection Design
- Structure and Control Building Design
- Substation & Switchyard Design (4kV to 35kV Distribution Substations, 35kV to 500kV Transmission Substations, Conceptual Designs, Brownfield Expansions & Rebuilds, Greenfield Site Design)
- 3D Substation Modeling and Rendering
- Battery and Station Service Sizing
- Bill of Material Creation & Entry
- Civil Structural Design
- Conceptual & Detailed Design Cost Estimates
- Drawings and Technical Specifications
- Design of Auxiliary AC and DC Systems
- Design of Lightning Protection
- Environmental Impact Studies and Assessment
- Foundation Design
- Ground System Design
- Lighting Design
- Procurement Support for Bid Packages & Specifications
- Physical & Electrical Layout & Design
- SCADA & Telecom Integration
- Civil and Site Access Design
- System Protection and Control Design
- Steel Structural Design
Communications & Stakeholder Engagement Services
Whether you need community input to make a more informed design decision or are developing a contentious project, we are in the business of creatively designing and delivering custom stakeholder engagement plans for your projects and programs. Our team does research on the front-end to ensure potential opportunities and risks are identified, discussed, and planned for in advance. Our comprehensive approach to communications and stakeholder engagement removes uncertainty, enhances stakeholder relationships, and ultimately, drives a positive environment for project success. Our communications and stakeholder engagement services include:
- Community and stakeholder research and risk analysis
- Stakeholder engagement planning and management
- Communications and engagement execution
Experience in markets from coast-to-coast
Houston, TX
Frisco, TX
Reno, NV
Lincolnshire, IL
Chicago, IL
Lombard, IL
Selma, TX
Lubbock, TX
Conroe, TX
Fort Worth, TX
Denver, CO
Austin, TX
Dallas, TX
Nashville, TN
Cary, NC
Grand Rapids, MI
Boca Raton, FL
Miami, FL
Palmetto, GA
Phoenix, AZ
Baton Rouge, LA
Austin, TX
Bradenton, FL
Newark, DE
Asheville, NC
Naperville, IL
Scottsdale, AZ
Marietta, GA
Woodinville, WA
Seattle, WA
Mill Creek, WA
Kirkland, WA
Broadview Heights, OH
Georgetown, DE
Birmingham, AL
Heber City, UT
Bryn Mawr, PA
Canonsburg, PA
Greenwood Village, CO
Durango, CO
Tampa, FL
Port Charlotte, FL
Sarasota, FL
Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Orlando Maitland Center, FL
Orlando Magnolia Ave., FL
Jacksonville, FL
Fort Myers Cypress Pkwy, FL
Fort Myers Camino Real Way, FL
Fort Myers Broadway, FL
Bonita Springs, FL
Belcamp, MD
Mitchellville, MD
Annapolis, MD
Rochester, MI
Cadillac, MI
Ann Arbor, MI
Southfield, MI
San Antonio, TX
Houston, TX
Fort Worth, TX
Additional Services
Survey Solutions
The tools and technology continue to evolve, but the science of surveying remains a consistent feature of development, construction and maintenance, and the equipment is only as effective and reliable as the professionals operating it. That’s why Atwell is proud to provide clients with experienced, proven surveyors, project managers and technical teams that take a practical, functional approach to solving client needs through accurate and timely research, data and documentation.
Right-of-way Services
Atwell’s Land and Right of Way Solutions team has national experience providing land services across all the power and energy development industries, including a complete line of project services that support renewable energy markets. Atwell’s capabilities support routing and siting, land acquisition, title abstracting, document preparation, GIS services, and program management partnered with land surveying activities. The seamless approach of Atwell’s combined resources brings your project online through a single source in a timeframe to meet your needs and budget.
Environmental Resources
From site selection through post-construction compliance, Atwell’s ecologists and biologists pursue your project objectives. They work alongside engineers and contractors to alert you to potential environmental disturbances and their impact on project feasibility, scope, and schedule. Aggressive design, permitting, and mitigation strategies are employed to maximize land use and minimize threats to regional species, watersheds, and ecosystems.
