Description

PLS-CADD 20.01 – Advanced Transmission Line Design Software

PLS-CADD 20.01 is the newest version of the industry-leading transmission line design and analysis software from Power Line Systems, now part of Bentley Systems. Recognized worldwide as the gold standard in overhead line engineering, PLS-CADD provides utilities, consultants, and contractors with the most powerful, accurate, and efficient tools for planning, designing, and optimizing transmission and distribution lines.

This release, PLS-CADD 20.01, builds on decades of proven reliability while adding significant performance upgrades, new functions, and essential bug fixes to meet the modern demands of power system infrastructure projects. Whether you are handling new line construction, upgrades, or maintenance, PLS-CADD ensures you deliver safe, economical, and regulation-compliant designs.

New Functions and Highlights in PLS-CADD 20.01

Enhanced 3D Modeling – Create realistic, data-driven models of transmission lines, including terrain, structures, and conductor behavior under real-world conditions.
Improved Interoperability – Seamless integration with PLS-POLE and TOWER, plus extended export support for AutoCAD, MicroStation, GIS, and BIM platforms.
Optimized Sag-Tension Calculations – Faster and more precise analysis of conductor performance under varying load, weather, and clearance conditions.
LiDAR & GIS Integration – Directly process large-scale LiDAR surveys and geospatial data for more accurate route selection and environmental impact studies.
Advanced Reporting Tools – Generate professional, customizable reports with improved export options for engineering, management, and regulatory submission.
User Interface Improvements – Streamlined menus, intuitive controls, and performance boosts for handling complex projects more efficiently.

System Requirements

To ensure smooth operation and maximum performance, PLS-CADD 20.01 requires:

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit versions only)
Processor: Intel Core i5/i7/i9 or AMD Ryzen equivalent, 2.5 GHz or higher
RAM: Minimum 8 GB (16 GB recommended for large-scale projects with LiDAR data)
Graphics Card: Dedicated GPU with full OpenGL support for 3D visualization
Storage: At least 2 GB of disk space for installation; additional space required for large projects and datasets
Other: Microsoft Office for report integration and CAD/GIS software for external file exchange

Bug Fixes and Stability Enhancements

Version 20.01 also delivers improved reliability with several important bug fixes, including:

Corrected calculation inconsistencies in sag-tension modeling under extreme load cases.
Fixed crashes related to importing and processing very large LiDAR datasets.
Enhanced memory management and batch-processing speed for high-volume projects.
Refined compatibility with the latest CAD, GIS, and BIM file formats.
General interface and workflow stability improvements for smoother project execution.

Why Choose PLS-CADD 20.01?

With its unmatched combination of accuracy, efficiency, and advanced modeling capabilities, PLS-CADD 20.01 empowers engineers to design cost-effective, safe, and regulation-compliant transmission lines. By integrating terrain, structure, and conductor data into a unified environment, it reduces errors, speeds up workflows, and ensures your projects meet the highest engineering standards.

Whether you are working for a utility, a design consultancy, or a construction contractor, PLS-CADD 20.01 provides the flexibility and power you need to handle today’s most complex electrical infrastructure challenges.

👉 PLS-CADD 20.01 – the next generation of overhead line design software, trusted by engineers around the world to deliver precision, efficiency, and performance in every project.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5

“As a transmission line design engineer, I’ve been working with PLS-CADD for more than a decade, and the new PLS-CADD 20.01 release is by far the most refined version yet. The improvements in 3D modeling and sag-tension analysis are immediately noticeable, making complex overhead line projects much easier to manage.

The integration with LiDAR and GIS data has saved our team countless hours during the route selection and clearance verification stages. The software now handles very large datasets without the lag we experienced in older versions. Another highlight is the seamless workflow with PLS-POLE and TOWER, which makes project coordination between teams more efficient and less error-prone.

From a developer’s perspective, I especially appreciate the stability improvements and bug fixes in version 20.01. The interface feels smoother, calculations run faster, and exporting reports into CAD and BIM formats is more reliable than ever. These updates show that Power Line Systems (Bentley) continues to listen to user feedback and invest in meaningful upgrades.

If you’re an engineer or utility professional working on transmission line design, overhead line analysis, or large-scale power infrastructure projects, I can confidently recommend PLS-CADD 20.01. It remains the industry standard for good reason: accuracy, efficiency, and reliability.”