1/6

Trends in 2008 in High Voltage Gas Insulated Switchgear

Dr. Hermann Koch

IEEE Substations Committee
Vice Chairman
Siemens AG, Germany

1. Introduction

The role of electrical energy is getting more important and the world-wide growth in electrical
energy generation, transmission, and distribution is large. Electrical energy has reached a position
beside coal, gas and oil that without sufficient supply life would come to a halt and modern living
would not be possible anymore. This importance of electrical energy leads automatically to
consequences which drive the electricity market like there is:

¾ Availability of electricity for low prices to everybody, which leads to the deregulation of the
electricity market world-wide.

¾ Sustainable energy supply, which leads to develop new high performance technology in effi-
ciency and reliability.

¾ Reliable electric power delivery, which leads to more complex networks with much more and
better power flow control to stabilize the network and to prevent from blackouts.

¾ Low, ecological and visual impact, which leads to more compact equipment, mostly not visible,
hidden in buildings and underground: Gas Insulated Technology GIS and GIL.

These trends are basic trends which can be seen world-wide in industrial and developing countries
alike. The public is sensitive today concerning environment, prices, reliable supply, and sustainable
solutions for a future, where also next generations can live.

Power engineering around the globe is working on solutions and activities are started to transform
the electric power system to the needs of the future.

In this report some examples are given to show the various activities in High Voltage Technology.

2. Switchgear Technology Trends

2.1 Gas Insulated Switchgear

In switchgear technology the trend is to higher power ratings (increased currents and/or voltage) at
limited available space with high reliability. This is offered by gas insulated switchgear (GIS). Since
more than 30 years this equipment is world-wide in operation with very high reliability and avail-
ability. The complete encapsulation, filled with an insulating gas (SF6) keeps all the environmental
and atmospheric influences outside and is in service with the highest availability. For the future
space limited solutions the GIS offers space savings of 90 % for 145 kV equipment. In Fig. 1 the
top view of the layout of an Air Insulated Substation (AIS) with a Gas Insulated Substation (GIS)
and servicing the same functionality is shown from 1200 m² for the AIS the space requirement is

H:\2008\2008-08_IEEE Lima_Peru\Paper Trends in 2008 GIS.doc

 2/6

reduced to 120 m². In Fig. 2 the GIS is shown in an H-scheme, bushings to connect an overhead
line, and a cable connection with a voltage transformer on top.

Fig. 1: Space savings with GIS Fig. 2: 145 kV GIS in an H-scheme with bushing
beige: Air Insulated Substation (AIS) and cable connection
green: Gas Insulated Substation (GIS)

2.2 Ultra High Voltage Switchgear

The need of long distance high power transmission requires ultra high voltages (UHV) in order to
reduce the transmission losses. Voltage levels of 1100 kV and 1200 kV are chosen for UHV and
the product development is on the way for projects in China and India.

The circuit breaker is a key element in the UHV system. Current ratings of 4000 A at a maximum
voltage of the system of 1100 kV allows to transmit a high amount of electric power, see table 1. In
Fig. 3 the UHV circuit breaker is shown in the high voltage test field.

Dead Tank Circuit Breaker

Rated Voltage: 1100 kV AC

Basic Insulation Level (BIL): 2700 kV
Rated Current: 4000 A
Rated Short Circuit Current: 63 kA

Fig. 3: Circuit breaker in the high voltage test field Table 1: Dead tank circuit breaker

H:\2008\2008-08_IEEE Lima_Peru\Paper Trends in 2008 GIS.doc

 3/6

2.3 High Voltage DC

The lowest power transmission losses can be reached with DC currents where no skin effect
reduced the current carrying cross section of the conductor and the impedance is only the ohm's
resistance.

The longer the transmission line, the higher are the savings of power losses and with this also the
savings in CO2. The HVDC transmission lines in the south of China, see Fig. 4 will save 30 Mt of
CO2 each year. The high efficiency of HVDC power transmission is coming from modern AC/DC
converter station as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 4: HVDC lines in South China Fig. 5: AC/DC converter station

+ 500 kV or + 800 kV

HVDC lines transmit 3 GW at + 500 kV DC voltage at a rated current of 3000 A. Several installa-
tions are already in operation in China and India. 5 GW at + 800 kV DC voltage at a rated current
of 3125 A are now under construction in China and will cover a total length of 1400 km from
Kunming in the mountain of the West to Shenzen at the East China Sea.

3. Standardization Trends

High voltage standardization is a basic task of the technical development and it is a requirement to
have standards ready when new products are entering the market. For high voltage the most im-
portant international organizations are IEEE, IEC, and CIGRE. In IEEE and IEC standards and
guides are written with international recognition. In CIGRE experts from all around the world work
on technical, economical, ecological and many more subjects related to high voltage systems.

H:\2008\2008-08_IEEE Lima_Peru\Paper Trends in 2008 GIS.doc

 4/6

3.1 IEC

In the high voltage field in IEC the following main activities as they are on schedule today:

Committee Description

General
Sector Board 1 (SB1) Electricity Transmission and Distribution
Advisory Board to IEC
Joint IEC-CIGRE Group (JICCG) Ultra High Voltages
Coordination Group for IEC

Switchgear (SC 17A AIS)

New Standards Power Test (WG 23)
Electric Endurance (WG 29)
Switchgear Fuse Combination (WG 30)
Combined Function Switchgear (WG 31)
Revision of Standards Synthetic Testing (MT 28)
Inductive Load Switch (MT 32)
Seismic Qualification (MT 33)
Common Specification (MT 34)

Switchgear Assemblies (SC 17C GIS)

New Standards Digital Communication (WG 11)
Assemblies of HV Devices (WG 17)
Revision of Standards Cable Connection to GIS (MT 18)
GIS (MT 16)

Table 2: Main activities in high voltage in IEC

3.2 IEEE

In high voltage substations in IEEE the main activities as they are on schedule today in the
Substations Committee of the Power Engineering Society (PES):

SCADA Automation (C0)

Cyber Security P 1686
SCADA Standard C 37.1
Network Communication P 1615

Transmission and Distribution Substation (T&D) D0

Recommended Clearances P 1427
Substation Grounding P 80
Lightning Stroke Shielding P998

H:\2008\2008-08_IEEE Lima_Peru\Paper Trends in 2008 GIS.doc

 5/6

West Coast (F0) & Environmental (G0)

Seismic Design of Substations P 693
Substation Fire Protection P 979
Physical Substation Security P 1402

HV Power Electronics (I0)

Static Var Compensation (SVC) P 1031
Thyristor Controlled Series Capacitor (TCSC) P 1534
Voltage Sourced Converter P xxxx

Gas Insulated Substation (K0)

GIS Standard C 37.122
GIS Guide C 37.123
Insulating Gas SF6 Guide P 1712

Table 3: Main activities in high voltage in IEEE

3.3 CIGRE

In high voltage equipment and -substation in CIGRE the main activities as they are on schedule
today:

Equipment (A3)
Reliability of High Voltage Equipment A3.06
Simulations and Calculations A3.20
Non-ceramic, Composite Insulators A3.21
UHV Equipment A3.22

Substations (B3)
Residual Life Concept B3.02
Cost Reduction in Substations B3.15
Mixed Technology B3.20
UHV Substations B3.22

Table 4: Main activities in high voltage equipment and substations in CIGRE

These three tables give only an overview on the main activities in standardization of today.

4. Political Trends

In a technical paper the statements about political trends are seldom. Here in this trend analysis of
the future of the electric power transmission a short look to the activities on the political side is
necessary and needed to see the importance for the power engineering towards a development of
"clean energy".

H:\2008\2008-08_IEEE Lima_Peru\Paper Trends in 2008 GIS.doc

 6/6

The European Union (EU) has declared by the governments of its member countries that in the
year 2020 more than 20 % of the energy will come from renewable, sustainable, ecological
sources.

China has declared that it will reach 30 % of renewable energy by 2030. California will get free of
CO2 from traffic, at least in the metro areas that mean electric cars and renewable electric energy.
Most of this electric energy will come from wind farms, on land or offshore. Very large wind parks
of 1 GW with hundred of wind generators are in planning now. Only the German North Sea will
deliver more than 20 GW in 2020!

The politicians world-wide are working on laws and regulations to support this process. And the
public is in general in line with the goals to go for renewable energies.

5. Conclusion

The conclusion on this trend scenario is that we are living in a time of basic changes. Energy
source, which have been unlimited as coal, oil, gas, or nuclear are now limited by the CO2 emitted
to the atmosphere. This will start an industrial, cultural, and society change similar to industrializa-
tion or the turn into the informative society.

Solutions of today are not usable in the future. New technologies and new minds of the people will
drive the industry to a new energy society.

Renewable energy from wind farms, solar thermal, photovoltaic, biomass, ocean wave, and ocean
tides are only some of the future possibilities beside the already widely used hydro dam. Together
with energy storage in hydro dam, pressurized mines or the fleet of electric cars show the first time
today that a sustainable electric energy supply is possible and can also be economical.

The future starts today.

H:\2008\2008-08_IEEE Lima_Peru\Paper Trends in 2008 GIS.doc