ELECTRICAL SAFETY IN

POWER GENERATION,
TRANSMISSION
AND DISTRIBUTION
Compiled by
B.L.Prabhu
 ELECTRICAL SAFETY IN POWER
GENERATION, TRANSMISSION
AND DISTRIBUTION
 There are a number of ways of generating
electrical power.
 The most popular in use are hydraulic,
thermal and nuclear.
 Power is normally generated at a high
voltage, stepped up by transformers and
then transmitted to the receiving stations
of the Power supply companies, who in turn
distribute the same to various consumers,
after the voltage is suitably stepped down.
 Some of the main hazards in
Generation and Distribution are:
 Electrical : Discharge in voids leading to
erosion, normal and transient over voltages,
switching and lightening surges, over fluxing
and under excitation, over/under voltage
operations.
 Mechanical : Vibrations and differential
expansion leading to insulation damage,
external short circuits.
 Thermal : Overloading thermal cycles,
degradation of insulating oil, insulating
mica/resin bonds.
 Some of the main hazards in
Generation and Distribution are:
 Chemical : Oxidation of organic
insulation, electro-chemical deterioration
 Environmental : Pollution, humidity,
moisture ingress, high ambient
temperature, chemical/corrosive
atmosphere.
 In the following paragraphs the safety
aspects are discussed, and the implied
hazards are obvious.
 The readers will agree that discussing only
the hazards without the safety solutions
will evidently not do justice to the article.
 Some of the safety aspects to be
borne in mind are as under :
 Electrical Equipment
 Selection : Most items of electrical
equipment are designed and built for specific
types of services.
 They will operate with maximum efficiency
and safety only when used for the purposes
and under conditions for which they are
intended.
 In selection of equipment, it is advisable to
follow the recommendations of the
engineering consultant services,
manufacturers, various codes and standards,
etc.
 Some of the safety aspects to be
borne in mind are as under :
 Installation : God’s, circuit breakers,
C.T.’s, P.T.’s, station transformers, power
line carrier communication equipment,
rectifier, motor generator sets, capacitors,
condensers, generators, bus bars, and
other electrical equipment should be so
installed that the possibility of accidental
contact with energized parts is totally
avoided.
 When an interlock is used as a safety
device, it should be fail-safe ie. steps must
be taken to ensure that failure of the
device will not jeopardize the safety of
personnel doing the operations.
Interlocks selected should meet the
following standards
 Fail safe features ie failure or malfunction of
the interlock mechanism will inhibit the
normal operation.
 Tamper Proof.
 Where space and operating requirements
permit, electrical equipment should be
placed in less congested areas of the plant.
 If the current carrying parts and particularly
in hazardous areas, such as high voltage
installation should have signs large enough
to attract attention and should be visible
from all approaches to the danger zone.
Group Operated Disconnects
 Group operated disconnects are primarily
meant for isolation of some equipment.
 They are not normally designed to make
or break load currents.
 If attempts are made to interrupt load
current, besides severe arcing, it can
create a phase to phase or phase to
ground fault, thus endangering the
equipment as well as the operator.
 Similar hazard can occur while closing the
GOD as well.
 Safe Practices in Transmission
 The following Safety Devices shall be used
on Overhead Transmission Lines:
 Fuses and Isolating Switches to isolate
different parts of the overhead system.
 Lighting arresters are provided at the ends
of HT and EHT transmission and distribution
lines and at every point of tapping.
 Choke coils are also sometimes used (IE
rule No. 72).
 A continuous earth wire running on top of
the towers serves as a protection against
lightning discharges.
Safe Practices in Transmission
IE Rule No. 91:
Stipulates that every un-insulated line erected in
a public place shall be provided with an approved
device rendering the line safe if it should break.
In order to comply with this rule, ‘vee’ guards are
often provided below bare over head lines
running along or across public streets, so that if
any one of the lines should snap and fall down, it
will come in contact with the earthed guard
below, trip the circuit breaker feeding the lines
and thus render them safe.
Safe Practices in Transmission
Guard wires must be provided above or
below power lines when they cross
telephone or telegraph lines.
The guard lines must be galvanized and
have a minimum breaking strength of
1400 lb which corresponds to SWG
galvanized steel wires. (IE Rule 86 & 88).
Minimum vertical clearance between any
conductor and guard wire should be 300
mm for low and medium voltages, 600
mm for 11 kv, 900 mm feet for 33 kv, 1.2
m for 66 kv and 1.8 m for 110 kv.
 Safe Practices in Transmission
 The guard wires and steel structure
must be solidly connected to earth.
 Cross wires must be provided,
between the main guard wires at
frequent intervals.
 An earth plate should also be
provided to each end of the span.
 Vibration dampers shall be provided.
 Grounding
 Itis necessary to provide earthing in
the Generating/Receiving/sub stations
for safety of personnel and
equipment. Earthing is making
connection to the general mass of the
earth. Earthing has the following
functions.
 Providing the ground connection for
grounded neutral systems
 Grounding
 Providing the discharge path for
lightening arresters
 Ensuring that non current carrying
parts, such as equipment frames, are
always at ground potential even if the
insulation fails.
 Providing the means of
discharging/de-energizing equipment
before releasing it for maintenance.
 The following are the equipment,
which are to be grounded safely
 The neutral point of equipment is earthed
to the station grounding grid either
directly or through reactor or through
grounding transformers.
 Apparatus, frame work and other non
current carrying metal work associated
with power system eg. generators,
transformers, circuit breakers, control
panel frame etc. are grounded safely.
 The following are the equipment,
which are to be grounded safely
 Metal frame work not associated with the
power system eg. boundary fence, steel
structure, sheaths of communication cables
are grounded directly.
 This is required to provide ground path for
any induction, leakage, direct lightening
flash over etc.
 Lightening arresters shall have independent
grounding of their own so as to ensure high
discharge currents are passed on the earth.
 Certification of Personnel
 The selection of workers for electrical work is
highly important.
 Their training and attitude towards the
responsibility involved are no less important.
 As in many hazardous jobs, method employed
to work on electrical equipment must conform
to Rules and codes practice laid down.
 Only appropriately certified personnel must be
permitted to work on electrical equipment and
installations and supervisory personnel must
ensure that suitable protective equipment are
used particularly while working on live parts.
Thank You