SPECIFICATIONS OF TYPICAL SUBSTATION

EARTHING SYSTEM

Chapter

6
SPECIFICATIONS OF TYPICAL SUBSTATION
EARTHING SYSTEM
1. Earthing System
The earth system shall comprise a mesh grid, formed by copper strip or flexible
conductor buried directly in the ground, and arranged so as to fully utilize the available
site area together with one or more groups of earthing electrodes buried in the ground
in suitable locations as close to the electrical plant as is feasible . A continuous
conductor shall be laid around the periphery of the substation site at a distance of 1.5 to
2.0 meters from the boundary fence, and a depth of 0.5 meter below the surface. A
mesh system shall be formed by interconnection of various points of the perimeter
conductor . The spacing between conductors forming the mesh system shall be such as
to limit the maximum mesh potential to a value not greater than the maximum tolerable
touch potential assuming a fault clearance time equal to that of the main protective gear
being provided and earth fault current of 31.5 KA for 1 second. The touch voltage
across human body shall not at any case exceed 65 volts
The earth system shall be designed so as to include all overhead line terminal towers,
which shall be earthed by extending the system outside the boundary fence (if
necessary) so as to envelope all towers within the earth system. They shall be bonded
directly to the earth system in at least two locations . The metal substation fence
immediately below any overhead line entering or leaving the site should be earthed at
that location . The location of the mesh conductors shall be such as to enable all items
of equipment to be connected to the earth system via the shortest possible route.
In the event of the substation resistance obtained with the foregoing installation being
of a magnitude unacceptable to the engineer, then where practicable the ground area
enclosed by the earth system should be increased by installing directly in the ground a
copper conductor in the form of a ring around the site at a significant distance from the
boundary fence.
Note : The use of earth plates as current carrying electrodes is not acceptable
Metal parts of all equipment , other than those forming part of an electrical circuit shall
be connected directly to the main earth system via a single conductor .The arrangement
of the mesh earth system shall be such as to minimize the length of these single
connections The provisions for earthing shall be such that no reliance shall be placed
Ch.#6

on the conductivity of metal joints without the use of special connectors

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SPECIFICATIONS OF TYPICAL SUBSTATION
EARTHING SYSTEM

Any necessary terminals on any part of the equipment required for earthing purposes
shall be provided by the contractor . Joints in the metallic enclosures shall whenever
possible contain separate means for electrically bonding one side to the other.
Earthing for high frequency coupling equipment, surge arrestors, reactor and
transformer neutral points shall be via a copper rod of approved dimensions, driven
directly in the ground at a position immediately adjacent to the equipment being
earthed in addition to the normal earth connection.
All main members of structural steelwork shall be earthed by copper connections
bonded to the steelwork.
Connections to apparatus and structures shall be made clear of ground level, preferable
to a vertical face and protected as appropriate against electrolytic corrosion . They shall
be made between clean surfaces of sufficient size and pressure to carry the rated short
circuit current without damage.
Earth bar installed direct in the ground should normally be laid bare and the trench
back filled with a fine top soil . Where the soil is of a hostile nature, special precautions
must be taken to protect the earth bar, the method used being subject to the agreement
of the engineer.
Joints in earth bars shall normally be brazed, but reverting and sweating may be
considered as an alternative.
Where bolted joints are used in copper connections they shall have the joint faces
tinned
Facility shall be provided on the earth bar run between equipment and base of the
structure comprising a looped copper strip, so as to permit the attachment of portable
earth connections for maintenance purposes.
The contractor shall include for the provision and installation of all equipment
necessary to provide a complete earthing installation including electrode chambers and
covers, positioning of all earth electrodes, connection of all earthing conductors and
testing of each earth point, to the satisfaction of the engineer.
The contractor shall submit design calculations to the engineer to demonstrate the
suitability of the earthing system for the particular application and to show that
anticipated figures for touch and step potentials are within permissible limits In general,
these calculations shall follow the guidelines set out in IEEE standard 80. Due
allowance shall be made for the current that flows in the ground wires of transmission
lines compared to that flowing in earth.
The contractor shall provide final record drawings of all earthing installations as laid to
the engineers approval.
2. Earthing Points
The contractor shall by tests at site after the award of contract, determine the number
of earthing points required.
Each earthing electrode shall consist as required of clusters of copper rods at least
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15mm diameter and each 3.5 meters long driven into un-disturbed soil . Each rod
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SPECIFICATIONS OF TYPICAL SUBSTATION
EARTHING SYSTEM

electrode shall be complete with approved non-ferrous clamps for the connections of
earthing conductors and with a hardened steel tip and cap for driving by means of a
power hammer. Where necessary in areas of high ground resistivity, longer rods shall be
used if the resistivity decreases with depth ; these may be installed by using a drilling
machine and surrounding the rod with low resistivity packing material.
Electrode link chambers and concrete covers shall be provided to facilitate ready
inspection of the connection.
The contractor shall ensure that the resistance between any point of each system and
(he related earthing electrodes does not exceed 0.1 ohm and that the overall resistance
between the ear-thing installation and the general body of the earth shall be less than
0.5 ohm during summer season and dry soil conditions.
3. Earthing Conductors
Conductors for interconnection between the electrodes in any group and between
groups shall have a cross-sectional area not less than 75 sq.mm and there shall be at
least two such connections to each electrode group.
Earthing conductors over ground shall be of annealed high conductivity copper and
they shall be protected with an extruded PVC sheath of 1000 volts grade.
Earthing conductors shall be buried directly in the ground between the electrode
chambers and buildings . Inside buildings they shall be denied to walls and ceilings or
fixed to cable racks or laid in the cable trenches as convenient
4. Earth Bars
Main earth bars shall comprise high conductivity annealed copper strip or flexible
conductor, area not less than 180 sq.mm, interconnected at suitable points, buried in
the ground or supported on building structures, cable trench walls ,etc., by means of
brass clamps spaced at not more than 1.25 in centers.

Branch connections shall comprise strip or flexible conductor as above with a cross-
sectional area not less than 75 sq.nnn. The frames of all electrical apparatus and
structural steelwork shall be connected by branches to the main bar with copper strip
or PVC insulated stranded copper conductor having a cross-sectional area appropriate
to the fault current.
All disconnector bases, post insulator bases, tension insulator strings, earth terminals
and earthing switches, neutral current transformers, power transformers, surge arrester
bases, and where agreed with the engineer, fences, shall be connected to the earthing
system under this section.
This section shall also include the extension of the earth bar system into the substation
buildings for connecting to indoor switchgear, control, relay and ancillary equipment,
and connections to overhead line terminal towers where necessary.
Structures and supports forming a 3-phase set may be earthed in groups using a
separate branch connection to each item of the group with a single subsidiary
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connection to the main earth bar.

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SPECIFICATIONS OF TYPICAL SUBSTATION
EARTHING SYSTEM

Disconnector and earth switch operating mechanism boxes and circuit breaker control
kiosks not integral with the circuit breakers shall be connected to the earth system by a
branch connection entirely separate from that employed for earthing the disconnector,
earthing switch or circuit breaker structure.
5. Earthing Conductor Connection
Connections between the main earthing conductors and the main earth bars shall be
made with lugs hard soldered or compressed on to the copper stand. The lugs shall
then be tinned, riveted or sweated to the main earth bars.
Connections between earthing electrodes and earthing conductors, earthing conductors
and the overhead line terminal tower and earth wire. supports, and between the
switchyards of different system voltage levels, shall be made with bolted non-ferrous
links arranged for easy connection and disconnection to facilitate testing.
Stranded earthing conductors shall be in one continuous length and straight through
jointing is prohibited.
Connections to plant and equipment shall be made using the earthing terminals
specified in the contract.
Joints in earthing strip shall have the surface cleaned and tinned and shall be riveted
with copper rivets (not less than four 3 mm rivets per joint) and soldered Non-
corrosive flux shall be used in all soldered joints.
Alternative methods employing chemical welding or high compression joints or clamps,
may be permitted providing frill details are submitted and approval is obtained from the
engineer.

6. Tests At Sit
The contractor shall provide all necessary test equipment for soil resistivity testing as
required to permit earth grid design and for proving that the earthing systems comply
with this specification. The contractor shall also be responsible for measuring the
resistance of each electrode installation and of each complete earthing system to the
general body of earth.
After installation of the earth system, the contractor shall measure the earth resistance
of the substation . The method used shall preferably be the fall of potential “ method,
requiring the availability of a local low voltage supply but other methods using an earth
resistance megger will be considered in the event of a local supply being unavailable.
7. Anti Corrosion Protection
Earth conductors laid in exposed positions outdoors or buried in ground which is
chemically corrosive shall be painted with two coats of bitumastic paint after
installation and before covering Earth conductors run inside buildings, battery rooms,
etc., shall be painted with two coats of anti-corrosive paint during erection.
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SPECIFICATIONS OF TYPICAL SUBSTATION
EARTHING SYSTEM

8. Fixing Details
All Fixing bolts, foundation bolts, screws, saddles, clips, jointing materials and any
other components required for fixing and mounting the earthing conductors and for
connection of any equipment thereto shall be supplied whether such items are specified
in detail or not.

Ch.#6