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Substation Clearance PDF
Substation Clearance PDF
01
Issue 3
Feb 2009
Clearances and
conductor spacings
and a safe access for a.c.
switchyards
PREFACE
Issue 3 of this standard is a major revision of the previous Issue 2. It has been re-developed to:
1. Include clearances and spacings for 400 kV a.c. switchyards.
2. Improve safety by requiring minimum maintenance access clearances to enable the use of
mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs) in order to reduce fall hazards.
3. Improve safety by requiring work plane heights to be aligned with the New Zealand
Department of Labour Code of Practice for Manual Handling (the design principles for manual
handling are identical to those considered for determining work platform heights).
4. Improve safety by up-dating minimum height to live metal clearances to improve access to
circuit breaker mechanism boxes, and to prohibit designs based on the use of steps for this
purpose as per Service Advisory TP.DS 62.01 SA1 (now superseded by this document).
5. Improve safety by re-instating a minimum height requirement to the lowest insulating shed on
insulating support columns.
6. Improve safety by requiring existing installations that do not comply with minimum clearances
as determined by national and international standards to be remedied by restricting access and
use of warning signs.
7. Improve circuit availability by requiring that routine maintenance and equipment change-outs
can be carried without necessitating the shutdown of nearby energised circuits.
8. Include design criteria for extending and modifying existing a.c. switchyard structures.
9. Alignment with Australian practices except when this would involve conflict with IEC
standards. The range of terms used has been significantly increased and these are defined in
Appendix A Definitions.
Because of the extensive nature of the changes in this third issue of TP.DS 62.01 the Revision History
log has been reset to restart again as at the date of issue.
Keywords
Revision History
CONFIDENTIALITY
All information disclosed in this document that is not general public MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
knowledge must be treated as strictly confidential and may not be The requirements set out in Transpowers standards are minimum
used or disclosed except for the purpose of developing documentation requirements that must be complied with by contractors, including
for the benefit of Transpower. designers and other consultants. The contractor is expected to
implement any practices which may not be stated but which can
reasonably be regarded as good practices relevant to the purpose of
this standard. Transpower expects contractors to improve upon these
minimum requirements where possible and to integrate these
improvements into their procedures and quality assurance plans.
CONTENTS
PREFACE ............................................................................................................................2
1 PURPOSE............................................................................................................................5
2 POLICY................................................................................................................................5
3 COMPLIANCE.....................................................................................................................5
4 REFERENCES AND BACKGROUND MATERIAL ............................................................6
5 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS .............................................................................................7
5.1 Design Drawings .................................................................................................................7
5.2 Continuity in Service ..........................................................................................................7
5.3 Design Co-ordination .........................................................................................................7
5.4 Tables ....................................................................................................................................8
6 BASIC ELECTRICAL CLEARANCES............................................................................. 11
6.1 Requirements .....................................................................................................................11
6.2 Basic Electrical Clearances ...............................................................................................11
6.3 Increased Minimum Clearances Under Special Conditions .......................................11
6.4 Reduced Minimum Clearances Under Special Conditions.........................................11
7 CLEARANCES FOR SAFE ACCESS AND CONDUCTOR SPACINGS ........................ 12
7.1 Fundamental Design Requirement for Safety ...............................................................12
7.2 Walking Access Clearances..............................................................................................13
7.3 Minimum conductor heights ...........................................................................................14
7.4 Access for maintenance work ..........................................................................................15
7.5 Busbar Heights and Spacings ..........................................................................................23
7.6 Standard Clearances & Conductor Spacings.................................................................24
7.7 Alternative Clearances & Conductor Spacings .............................................................24
7.8 Low level equipment installations/ protective barriers (capacitors etc.)..................26
7.9 Access for Maintenance Vehicles and Plant ..................................................................27
7.10 Security Fence Clearances ................................................................................................33
7.11 Safe Access to Operational Equipment ..........................................................................33
8 EXISTING A.C. SWITCHYARDS ..................................................................................... 36
8.1 Policy requirements ..........................................................................................................36
8.2 Requirements for ground clearances and busbar heights ...........................................36
8.3 Non-compliant existing structures .................................................................................36
8.4 Modifications or extensions .............................................................................................38
9 IMPULSE TESTED EQUIPMENT .................................................................................... 39
9.1 Transformers......................................................................................................................39
APPENDICES
A DEFINITIONS ................................................................................................................... 40
B CONTROLLED DOCUMENT FEEDBACK FORM .......................................................... 42
1 PURPOSE
This standard defines minimum clearances to protect personnel, vehicles and equipment
against inadvertent contact, or hazardous proximity, to exposed conductors, and defines the
minimum basic clearances required in a.c. switchyards.
2 POLICY
All existing and new a.c. switchyards shall comply with New Zealand legal
requirements and the requirements of international and national standards, and New
Zealand industry documents as set out in Section 3, Compliance.
New a.c. switchyards shall be designed so that the required continuity in service of
energised equipment is maintained when nearby equipment is either maintained, or
replaced.
New a.c. switchyard layouts shall facilitate safe and efficient access by competent
employees who are carrying out operations and maintenance work using mobile
elevated work platforms where required. Where practical access for MEWPs shall
also apply to modifications and extensions to existing a.c. switchyards.
3 COMPLIANCE
The design of Transpower a.c. switchyards shall meet the minimum clearance requirements
of the following documents:
1. IEC 61936-1 Power installations exceeding 1 kV a.c. Common rules
2. NZECP 34 New Zealand Code of Practice for Electrical Safe Distances
3. AS 2067 High voltage installations and ESAA NENS 04 National guidelines for safe
approach distances to electrical apparatus
4. IEC 60071-2 Insulation co-ordination Part 2: Application guide
5. IEC 60076-3 Power transformers Part 3: Insulation levels, dielectric tests and external
clearances in air
Where conflict exists between the above documents they shall take precedence in the order
listed.
The design of Transpower a.c. switchyards shall facilitate compliance with the following
documents:
Electricity Regulations 1997
Regulations made under the HSE Act 1992
Safety Manual Electricity Industry (SM-EI)
Code of Practice for Manual Handling, Department of Labour documents
Existing a.c. switchyards that do not fully comply shall be brought into line with the
requirements of Section 8 Existing a.c. switchyards.
TP.DS 62.01
Issue 3
Feb 2009
5 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
5.1 Design drawings
Design drawings for all new a.c. switchyards, and extensions, or modifications to existing
a.c. switchyards shall be prepared by the designer and submitted to Transpower for
approval. These drawings shall include critical dimensions and show:
Internal fences around air-cooled reactors and other areas of high magnetic fields shall
protect personnel outside the fence from magnetic fields in excess of the ICNIRP guideline
for occupational exposure.
TP.DG 30.01 Electric and magnetic field design parameters for a.c. 50 Hz transmission lines,
substations and underground, cables provides more specific requirements with regard to the
consideration of the limitation of EMF exposures during design.
5.4 Tables
Table 1: Minimum clearances for voltage range I: 1 kV < Um up to and including 245 kV
Nominal system Highest equipment LIWV 1 Minimum phase to earth (N) &
voltage voltage phase to phase clearance
Un Um
50 55 250 500
Notes:
1 Clearances are determined by LIWV not by nominal system or highest equipment voltages.
2 Reduced clearances may be used if there is no practical alternative, if other means are
provided to prevent flashovers by birds or vermin. The reduced clearances are not to be
used to calculate maintenance clearances, protective barrier/obstacle clearances, or security
fence clearances.
3 110 kV lines which have a LIWV of 450 kVpk have a corresponding minimum clearance of
900 mm.
4 220 kV lines and transformers which have a LIWV of 950 kVpk (or 900 kVpk for
transformers prior to about 1982) have a corresponding minimum clearance of 1900 mm.
Note: The nearest IEC 61936-1 Nominal system voltage to 400 kV is 380 kV. Transpower has
selected a nominal system voltage of 400 kV. As the nominal system voltage is defined as a
suitable approximate value 400 kV is used in Table 2 as opposed to 380 kV.
Table 3: Standard clearances for safe access and conductor spacings A.C. voltages
from August 2008
Notes:
1. All clearances are surface to surface taut string distances, whereas conductor spacings are centre
line to centre line measurements.
2. Refer to Figure 3 for installation example designed to achieve walking access clearance W.
3. The maintenance clearances H and V are based on the use of MEWPs as illustrated in
Figure 9.
4. Because outdoor 33 kV and lower voltage level air insulated a.c. switchyards are no longer
economic due to the comparatively low cost of indoor switchgear installations these are not
included in the above table.
5. Because the trend is to phase out 50 kV lines and a.c. switchyards these are not included in the
above table. Therefore for 50 kV installations design to 66 kV clearances.
Table 4: Revised safety distances as from 20th April 2005 to July 2008
Nominal system voltage Minimum height of live parts Minimum busbar (rigid type/
above fixed accessible no sag) clearance height
surfaces assuming vehicle access
Un
11 3000 4000
22 3000 4000
33 3000 4000
50 3000 4000
66 3100 4100
Refer to Section 8.
Table 5: Acceptable safety distances for installations built prior to 20th April 2005
Nominal system voltage Minimum height of live parts Minimum busbar (rigid type/
above fixed accessible no sag) clearance height
surfaces assuming vehicle access
Un
11 2600 3600
22 2700 3700
33 2800 3800
50 2900 3900
66 3100 4100
Refer to Section 8.
The minimum walking access clearance to live parts from accessible ground, or accessible
platforms shall be W, where W = N + RV and RV = 2440 mm.
The required height of the temporary work platform is determined by the highest work
plane height. Generally, the highest work plane shall be at the same height as the highest
equipment point, and for ergonomic reasons, is taken as being located 1000 mm above the
work platform.
For circuit breakers the highest work plane shall be at the same height as the highest
terminals, and taken as being located 1000 mm above the work platform for ergonomic
reasons.
It may not always be practical to provide an access width along each side of an item of
equipment in order to meet general requirements.
The maintenance access series of drawings TP58394 (refer subsection 5.1 above) is being
extended to show maintenance access arrangements as they become available for various
types of equipment.
(a) The vertical work safety clearance, V = N + DiV + Rv Work plane height, where:
Di values to be used:
MEWP boom or stick type 1000 mm for DiV and 1900 mm for DiH
Scissor lift platform 1000 mm for DiV and 1500 mm for DiH
Ladder 300 mm for DiV (allows for one step) and 0 m for
DiH
Vehicle, or mobile plant in transit (subsection 7.9) 1000 mm for DiH, and 0 mm for DiV
All other applications, unless the type of 0 mm
equipment justifies the use of a value of Di
Ma values to be used:
MEWP boom or stick type 1900 mm
Scissor lift platform 1900 mm
Ladder 25 % of working length of ladder (mm)
Security fence spacing (subsection 7.10) 1000 mm
Protective barriers and obstacles 1000 mm
All other applications 1000 mm
1. The walking access and minimum equipment height requirements as set out in
Table 3 above.
2. The maintenance clearances formulae and values as set out above.
The selection of alternative options is to be based on the following hierarchy:
3. Use of boom or stick type elevating work platforms as set out above.
4. Use of other types, e.g. scissor type MEWPs.
5. Other options.
Drawings of the proposed alternative shall be submitted to Transpower for approval by the
Manager responsible for this standard and approval of the manager responsible for
equipment maintenance.
Figure 11: Scissor lifts heights and clearances fall back option 1
Where the provisions of this Standard cannot be practicably achieved, the designer may
propose an alternative solution for Transpowers consideration, or request advice from
Transpower on alternative acceptable solutions. For example, in the case of scissor type
MEWPs a value of Ma less than 1900 mm may be proposed if suitable narrower mobile
equipment would suit the work.
Either solid or mesh barriers shall be used as per Figure 12. Barriers with openings
exceeding 50 mm shall not be used.
For non-rigid protective barriers and wire meshes, the clearance values shall be increased to
take into account movement or deflection of the protective barrier or mesh and meet the
worst case seismic and wind design loads.
2. The access route and area provided shall be suitable for the following MEWPs and
crane:
(a) Genie Z-45/ 25J RT
(b) Genie S-45
(c) Franna AT-20 (20 tonne crane, required clearance height 3100 mm).
The minimum turning radii shall be based on the largest specified turning radii of these
types plus 1000 mm.
3. In combination with the maintenance zones and available area enable equipment
change-outs to be carried out safely and efficiently.
4. Meet the minimum access route profile requirements as indicated in the figures
below.
Note, the above crane and MEWPs have been selected solely for the purpose of ensuring
that design access envelopes cater for a reasonable range of mobile plant that the
maintenance contractors may need to use for typical bay equipment.
dimensions, and lifting arrangements etc. should be specified during the design phase, and
appropriate increases in height/ width made to the vehicle envelope as necessary.
Corners for the transport route shall have an outside radius of not less than 10,000 mm. An
appropriate increase in turning radius shall be used where it is foreseen that required
turning radius could exceed 10,000 mm.
The transport route shall provide for a minimum loaded vehicle clearance to live conductors
of RMAD + 100 mm.
Equipment shall be located so that no outages are required during movement of the
transporter with or without the transformer loaded.
If the required space for access is not possible because of site restrictions, warning signs
shall be attached to structures at a height of approximately 2,400 mm to their underside and
stop lines shall be painted across the access route.
Figure 14: Vehicle access between de-energised bay and live bay
7.9.8 Stable access and work surface for MEWPs and crane
A stable durable surface that is capable of carrying a fully loaded MEWP of any of the types
listed in clause 7.9.3 shall be provided for maintenance access/ equipment change outs:
Genie Z-45/ 25J RT
Genie S-45
The surface layer properties shall be such that:
(a) Significant damage does not occur to the surface, and that
(b) Unforeseen movement of the MEWP does not occur when the MEWP is fully loaded
and turning/ slewing, or when a crane is lifting an equipment item such as a circuit
breaker onto a transport truck.
1. Minimum phase phase and phase earth clearances as per Table 1 of this standard
(the clearance values in brackets at the lower voltage levels may be applied for this
purpose).
Note: Table 1 clearances are generally lower than those in the predecessor documents. There have
been a number of significant reductions in clearances since Electrical Design Standard DC
3.1.2, 1974 was issued.
2. The minimum heights of live metal above ground level specified in Electrical Design
Standard DC 3.1.2, 1974 are satisfied.
Note: Minimum heights of live metal above ground level were revised by Transpower to accept the
values specified in Electrical Design Standard DC 3.1.2, 1974 for existing older structures.
Service Advisory TP.DS 62.01 SA1 which was issued on 20th April 2005 for this purpose, is
now superseded by this Issue of TP.DS 62.01, and which includes DC 3.1.2 as an appendix.
Note: It is particularly important that when bulk oil circuit breakers are being replaced, care is taken
to ensure that there are sufficient clearances for inspection and testing of the replacement
circuit breaker. This is because modern SF6 live tank circuit breakers typically have a greater
height profile than designed for when bulk oil circuit breakers were installed in older
structures. The clearances to the terminals of the SF6 live tank circuit breakers must be
sufficient to allow for connection of test equipment with adjacent equipment in service.
4. The original layout and patterning of equipment shall not be varied if the variation
means that safety is compromised.
Note: Replacing existing equipment with equipment that requires more space in structures that have
minimal clearance is not permitted where the minimal clearances are significantly reduced.
Minimal clearances typically occur in older structures where the voltage is < 50 kV. As a
guide, if the clearance between ground and any part of the equipment and live metal is less
than N + 2440 then the clearance is considered to be minimal. For example it is considered
unsafe practice to replace a 33 kV circuit breaker with a larger 66 kV circuit breaker if this
results in the distance between the nearest live metal at the point of isolation and where earths
are to be applied is reduced.
5. Wherever reasonably practical compliance with the latest standard shall be achieved
during modification or extension.
9.1 Transformers
The minimum phase to phase and phase to earth clearance and terminal spacings for
transformers shall comply with IEC 60076-3 except that the minimum phase to phase and
phase to earth clearance and spacings for 33 kV and below shall be 500 mm respectively.
Spacings shall include an additional allowance of 150 mm for the space taken up by the
terminal connection.
The minimum distance from a transformer to another transformer, building or other
equipment shall comply with IEC 61936-1 (see also IEEE 979 Guide for substation fire
protection). This only applies to new transformer bays. If an existing transformer bay is
being upgraded then the opportunity should be taken to include a fire resistant wall if this is
practicable.
A DEFINITIONS
Terms in this standard are used as defined in TP.AG 10.02 Transpower Glossary. Other
definitions are:
clearance: The distance between two conductive parts or between a live part and earth
along a string stretched the shortest way between these conductive parts (the taut string
distance). (See also definition of taut string distance).
competent: An employee is competent when they can demonstrate to Transpower, at any
time, that they have the necessary knowledge, skills and experience to carry out work within
a switchyard safely, to the standards used by Transpower.
danger zone: The zone defined by the minimum phase to earth clearance (N) around
exposed live parts.
Note: Exposed includes insulated but not to full working voltage.
distance for inadvertent movement (Di): The distance, vertical (DiV) and/or horizontal
(DiH), which is allowed for the inadvertent movement of both personnel and machines.
earthed: Effectively connected to the general mass of earth.
enclosure: The part providing protection of equipment against certain external influences
and protection against direct contact from any direction.
highest equipment voltage: The highest r.m.s value of phase to phase voltage for which the
equipment is designed in respect of its insulation as well as other characteristics that relate
to this voltage in the relevant equipment standards.
horizontal reach (Rh): The horizontal reach of a person allowed for the purposes of working
from a fixed work platform shall be 1440 mm.
horizontal work safety clearance (H): The minimum distance measured horizontally
between live parts and the equipment to be worked on. This distance includes an allowance
of 300 mm for use of hand held tools.
LIWV: Lightning Impulse Withstand Voltage.
live: Connected to a source of electrical supply or subject to hazardous induced or
capacitive voltage.
maintenance access width (Ma): The access width provided for maintenance access, and
within which ladders and mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) from which
maintenance is carried out are located.
maintenance clearance: A collective term for horizontal work safety clearance (H), vertical
work safety clearance (V), and walking access clearance (W).
maintenance zone: A zone comprising the equipment to be worked on, the surrounding
maintenance access width, and the associated space required for maintenance work, and
within which work from pre-planned work platform locations may be carried out.
minimum height: The smallest permissible vertical clearance between accessible surfaces
and live parts without protection against direct contact, or those parts that may be subject to
a hazardous voltage.
minimum phase to earth clearance (N): The smallest permissible clearance in air between
live parts and earth or between live parts and parts at earth potential (values of N as per
IEC 61936-1 are used in this design standard).
minimum phase to phase clearance: smallest permissible clearance in air between live
parts of different phases or between the same phase that are electrically separate from
another.
network security: A term used to describe the ability or capacity of a network to provide
service after one or more equipment failures. It can be defined by deterministic planning
criteria such as (n), (n-1), (n-2) security contingency. A security contingency of (n-m) at a
particular location in the network means that m component failures can be tolerated without
loss of service.
nominal value: The value of a quantity used to designate and identify a component, device,
equipment or system.
nominal system voltage: A suitable approximate value of voltage used to designate or
identify a system
Note: Any reference to nominal voltage means nominal system voltage.
protection against direct contact: Measures that prevent the body of a person or an object
(reaching into the danger zone) persons coming into hazardous proximity to live parts or
those parts that could carry a hazardous voltage.
protective barrier: The part providing protection against direct contact from any usual
direction of access.
protective obstacle: The part preventing unintentional access to an area where safety
clearances will be infringed, but not preventing access to this area by deliberate action.
security fence clearance: The smallest permissible clearance, measured horizontally,
between an external fence and live conductors.
SIWV: Switching Impulse Withstand Voltage.
spacings: The distances measured between centre lines of conductors or equipment.
standard person: Figure 2 shows the height and reach of the standard person. This is based
on AS 2067.
switchyard: An area, enclosed by a security fence, containing normally live conductors
and/or other exposed live material.
taut string distance: The distance between two parts measured along a taut string stretched
the shortest way between those parts.
vertical reach (Rv): The maximum vertical reach of a person (2440 mm) measured from the
accessible surface or temporary work platform floor. The accessible surface is either ground
level, or a fixed walkway.
(This is based on AS 2067, and includes an allowance of 300 mm for use of a hand held tool)
vertical work safety clearance (V): The minimum distance measured vertically between
live parts and the work plane. This distance includes an allowance of 300 mm for use of a
hand held tool.
voltage range I: Voltage in the range 1 kV < Um up to and including 245 kV.
voltage range II: Voltage in the range Um > 245 kV.
walking access clearance (W): The minimum safe clearance distance, measured as a taut
string distance to be observed between normally exposed live parts and any accessible
surface which a person may walk on (normally ground level) in an outdoor installation of
open design.
Work plane: The work plane is taken to be at waist height (1000 mm) above the accessible
surface or temporary work platform. 1000 mm is a nominal value that may be varied, but
should not be increased without careful consideration of the nature and duration of the
work to be undertaken.
Proposed change:
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