DISTRIBUTION

TECHNICAL BULLETIN
06-08-2004

Enquiries: G Stanford
Tel: (011) 871-2431

TECHNICAL BULLETIN: 03TB-34

Distribution Standard: Part 4 Medium Voltage
TITLE: INSULATION CO-ORDINATION AND BONDING FOR MEDIUM VOLTAGE LINES
Purpose
The purpose this bulletin is to revise technical bulletin 99TB-005 written by Phil Crowdy. The original
bulletin aimed to explain the purposes of bonding and installing BIL down-wires on MV lines. To make
everyone aware of the requirements and the recommended practices in all areas. The requirements do
not differ from the MV Standard. The bulletin also gave a method of calculating average number of
outages that can be attributed to direct lightning strikes. This can be utilised by performance and
maintenance staff to estimate the portion of the line outages that can be reduced by improving the design
or maintenance of the line and associated equipment. MV/LV shared structure requirements, alternative
methods of ensuring insulation co-ordination and figures of typical installation practices have been
added.
Overview
The insulation co-ordination as laid out in the MV standard is designed to ensure that installation are
safe, have the lowest probability of outage and the lowest failure rate for the capital spent. For optimum
performance it is necessary to follow the guidelines laid out below. The selection of the bonding and BIL
rating for the line is dependent on the lightning activity in the area and the pollution levels. The
installation of bonding and BIL down-wire is a capital expense and this expenditure must be
weighed against the probability and costs of damage to the system and the performance
requirements for the system. As the performance requirements for the system, safety and repair costs
become increasingly important to Eskom more importance is being placed on the reduction of equipment
failure and improvement of line performance.
For MV wood pole lines the standard arrangement is that the hardware of all three phases are bonded
and a BIL down-wire is installed. A gap of approximately 500mm is left between the bonding wire and the
BIL down-wire. A circumferential strap is utilised either side of the gap, connected to the BIL down-wire
and bonding wire respectively.
For MV/LV shared structures the same arrangement as above can be used excepting that an additional
50 mm gap be made below the LV. Report DISREAAH7 called Insulation co-ordination on MV/LV shared
wood structures details the decision on MV/LV shared structures and is published on the Distribution
Technology website. The gap construction should be the same as that described for the MV gap above.
Figure 1 shows the insulation co-ordination practices for medium voltage and shared structures.
Unless there is a strong reason for doing otherwise these configurations are to be adopted in all regions
on new lines. On existing fully insulated lines, where the installation of BIL down wires is not an option,
an alternative practice is to install line arresters or double arrestors at the equipment. This is believed to
be less effective than the preferred BIL down wire practice. (i.e. more lighting current will reach the
terminal equipment and the impulse voltage rise on the system will be higher). The procedures for the
installation of line arresters (SCSPVADG8) and double arresters on equipment (SCSPVADG3) are
available on the Distribution Technology web site.

DISTRIBUTION TECHNOLOGY, PRIVATE BAG 1074, GERMISTON 1400

FAX 011-871-2352

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A guide presented later gives areas where it is possible to still get a reasonable performance by
omitting either the bonding or the BIL down-wire based on the expected climatic conditions of the area.
Utilising the options of no BIL down-wire or no bonding should be chosen with care and a consideration
of all the consequences must be undertaken.

3 x 3.35
Galvanized steel
BIL downwire

500 mm BIL
wood gap
200 mm of 3 x 3.35
Galvanized steel
BIL downwire
100 mm

LV

100 mm
50 mm LV gap

750 mm (min)
Telephone line
3 x 3.35
Galvanized steel
BIL downwire

Medium Voltage

Shared Medium Voltage and Low Voltage

Figure 1: Insulation co-ordination practices to be applied on structures

The standard arrangements utilised, provide the following:
a. A insulation level of 300kV or more between the phase conductors and ground resulting in reduced
line outages due to lightning induced surges.
b. Reduced probability of pole top wood burning and pole degradation resulting in reduced operational
costs and improved safe conditions. (a leakage current problem)
c. Reduced probability of damage to attached equipment resulting in an improved quality of supply and
reduced operational costs. This especially applies to the distribution transformers that are lost due to
lightning related failures.

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In general it can be stated that the number of outages on an MV line due to direct strikes is
difficult to lower and as such is approximately fixed for a specific line. Outages due to induced lightning
surges, equipment damage and equipment failures can however be mitigated by sensible design and
maintenance.
General
Insulation co-ordination is achieved when the insulation strengths of all components of the electricity
system are adequate to withstand the electrical stresses of service within selected reliability margins.
The conditions that system components are designed to meet are:
a. To withstand indefinitely the normal and maximum system operating voltages at supply frequency.
b. To withstand temporary supply frequency over-voltages up to the rated short duration power
frequency withstand voltage.
c. To withstand lightning impulse over-voltages up to the rated withstand level
d. To restore the insulation level after a flashover.
Supply frequency voltages and over-voltages
The design, material and specific creepage length of phase insulators influence the performance of a
system in terms of (a) and (b) in the paragraph above. SCSSCABI8 is used as the guide for the selection
of phase insulators.
Lightning impulse over-voltages
CSIR and TSI studies have concluded that the effect of lightning on the performance of MV overhead
power lines can be minimised if the 300kV BIL insulation co-ordination philosophy is adopted. The
disturbances due to lightning can be due to either direct strikes or induced voltages from adjacent strikes.
Direct strikes
Direct strikes to an unshielded line nearly always cause flashover to earth of one or more conductors at
the pole closest to the strike. If insulation levels are low, flashover may occur at several structures while
if the insulation levels are high, flashover may occur at only one structure. The damage to a pole will
depend on the surge current and arc path followed. The greater number of poles flashing over and the
containment of the arc to the pole surface will result in the lowest probability of damage to poles. Severe
impulse voltage may be transmitted to attached equipment depending on the line insulation value. The
amount of energy of the impulse may exceed the capability of the surge arrestor at the attached
equipment point and hence result in damage to the attached equipment. The probability of damage to
attached equipment (transformers, autoreclosers, etc.) is high for a direct strike to the line pole where the
equipment is attached. The higher the insulation level of the line the greater will be the probability of
damage to the attached equipment and line poles.
Induced voltages
Induced voltages rarely exceed 200 kV with a maximum order of 250 kV. As the induced voltages in
different phases are of similar amplitude and identical waveshape, flashovers between phases are not
expected. Flashover to ground will occur if the insulation strength to ground is below that of the induced
voltage. The amount of flashovers due to induced voltages will depend on the actual insulation values.
The lower the insulation value, below 300kV, the higher the number of flashovers due to induced
voltages.
Pole and cross-arm damage
The type and extent of damage that occurs depends on factors such as the moisture content and the arc
penetration into the wood. Wood poles and cross-arms suffer the least damage when the arc can be
restricted to the surface of the wood where superficial splintering may occur. This is achieved by not
having a wood path gap in the earth wire of greater than 500mm and applying circumferential strapping at
the termination points of the BIL down-wire and bonding-wire on either side of the gap. (the
circumferential strapping prevents the arc from penetrating the pole to bolts) Avoid using staples on
strapping as this will allow the arc to penetrate the surface of the wood.

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Line hardware damage
Most damage to line hardware is caused by the power arc that develops after flashover (0,85 probability),
however surges and flashover may also cause damage. The surge or impulse will cause an initial
breakdown of the air and ionisation, which will allow a follow through arc to develop. The arc current, will
cause erosion of the line hardware at the arc root. Hardware damage will be reduced by rapid operation
of the protection equipment and removal of the supply voltage.
Damage to attached equipment
The attached equipment to a power line will be damaged if the surge voltage exceeds the BIL of the
equipment. This will be the case for the majority of direct strikes and the higher induced surges. To
reduce the equipment damage surge arresters are utilised on the equipment. These surge arresters will
clamp the voltage to a value lower than the equipment BIL. Provided the surge energy is less than the
arrester capability and the equipment BIL has not deteriorated the arrester will protect the equipment.
The energy in a direct strike will normally exceed the energy capability of a surge arrester. Should the
strike occur at the pole of the attached equipment the probability of destroying the arrester and damaging
attached equipment is high. Should a direct strike be to the line away from the attached equipment there
is still a high probability of the energy in the traveling wave exceeding the surge arrester rating should no
BIL down wire be applied to the intermediate poles.
Bonding
The practice of electrically connecting all the hardware and insulator dead ends is known as bonding.
Small leakage currents (due to pollution contamination on the insulation surface) may cause the burning
or degradation of unbonded cross-arms and poles. Bonding the dead ends of phase insulators and stay
wires can prevent this. In polluted environments this process is more rapid. The bonding wire coupled
with the circumferential strapping will also act as part of the BIL system and reduce the probability of
cross-arm and pole splitting. Separate bonding designs are provided for all applicable structures in the
Distribution Medium Voltage Standard drawing D-DT-0310.
Stay insulators
The insulation level of the conventional porcelain stay insulators is low. Porcelain stay insulators may be
considered as adding value to the system only in terms of providing protection to the public against a live
stay condition from a broken conductor coming into contact with the stay. The porcelain stay provides
very little additional lightning surge insulation. Strain structures are not fitted with BIL downwires since
the stay-wire fulfills this purpose. To achieve a higher BIL on a strain structure than the porcelain
insulator provides, glass fibre longrod type stay insulators may be used, or stays fitted in such a way that
there is a suitable wood path in series. Standard porcelain insulators for new LV structures provide
sufficient BIL on strain structures for adequate performance. For MV structures the decision to use the
preferred, high BIL glass fibre longrod type stay insulators, is based on high lightning conditions. The
porcelain type of stay insulator can be employed on MV lines with low lightning conditions. Stay wire
insulators can be found on the buyer guide drawing D-DT-3144. The assembly drawings for the stay wire
insulators are D-DT-0341 and D-DT-0341.

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Insulation co-ordination and line performance
Typically, the following performance can be expected from lines insulated as follows:
High BIL lines. (1 MV to 2 MV) with no bonding
Direct strike flashovers,
Low incidence of flashover
Low protection operations from indirect strikes,
High stress on attached equipment with a resultant high probability of equipment failure,
Some extended outages and safety hazards due to pole and cross-arm damage caused by leakage
currents or lightning initiated currents.
Low BIL lines (<200 kV) with bonding
Direct strike flashovers
High incidence of flashover
High protection operations due to indirect strikes
Lower stress on attached equipment
Few extended outages due to pole or cross-arm damage
300 kV BIL with bonding
Direct strike flashovers
Induced surges will not flashover
Moderate protection operations
Stress on terminal equipment reduced
Little or no pole and cross-arm damage
The insulation level that provides the best overall performance in a high lightning area has been proved
on test sites to be between 200 kV BIL and 300 kV BIL. This allows multiple flashovers for direct strikes
with no flashover for induced surges. It also limits the voltage and energy traveling down the line to a
value that surge arresters can dissipate without damage.
This BIL is achieved in the following way:
On suspension/intermediate structures by the application of a BIL downwire and a 500 mm wood path;
and on stayed structures by the BIL of the long rod insulator, stay insulators and the position of the stays.
On these structures the stay provides the BIL.
Surge arresters and BIL
22 kV equipment installed on MV lines has a BIL rating of 150 kV and is protected by surge arresters. If
there are a number of surge arresters in close proximity on the line it effectively reduces the BIL of that
line and the design of insulation for a reticulation line thus falls into one of two categories:
a. Townships or areas protected from lightning effects by a relatively high density of surge arresters
In these areas, structures, of which the maximum BIL is that of the insulator (170 kV), may be used i.e.
concrete or conductive structures. Wood poles need not have a BIL downwire. The surge arresters
should in this situation provide sufficient multiple ground paths to ensure suitable line performance
without equipment damage.
b. Sparsely populated, high lightning rural areas with long lines and few surge arresters
In these areas co-ordinated wood pole structures with 300 kV BIL will perform better in high lightning
conditions. The application of downwires will reduce the BIL from 1,2 MV to the desired levels. The
incidence of pole and attached equipment damage will be greatly reduced if the practice is employed.

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Table B.1 Insulation co-ordination and bonding
1

guide

3
2

Lightning activity (strikes/km /year)

Pollution level
Low/medium
(Few / no
pollution
related
incidents)

Low (2 or less)

High ( more than 2)

No bonding of insulator
required

Provide a 500 mm gap between the BIL

downwire and lowest/nearest MV insulator

No BIL downwire
required

No bonding between insulator hardware is

required for horizontal structures. For vertical
or staggered vertical structures bonding is
required.1

Use a 1,2 MV BIL

Use a 300 kV BIL.

High/very high
(Frequent
pollution
related
incidents)

Bond between insulators

No BIL downwire
required
Use a 1,2 MV BIL

Provide a 500 mm gap between the BIL down

wire and the lowest/nearest MV insulator
Bond between insulators
Use a 300 kV BIL

Note 1 Bonding is not generally required on horizontal structures. This will take advantage of the
arc quenching properties of the extra wood on cross-arms. Vertical structure can not capitalize on
this advantage due the distances between hardware being too short. The short distances between
hardware means that the risk of the wood pole splitting when an impulse jumps between hardware
is high. Bonding is therefore required for vertical structures. If one methodology is needed to be
standardized throughout a region, bonding of all structures would be recommended.
Table B1 is provided as a guideline to be utilised should a specific area wish to consider not utilising
bonding or BIL downwires. It is not to say that should a low pollution condition exist there will be no
leakage currents but simply that the probability of damage due to the formation of leakage current is low.
The costs of bonding in this type of area may be greater than the cost of pole and cross-arm replacement
and the importance of the line. The default condition in all cases is to bond and provide a 500mm gap.
This will also only be true for the MV lines, since with the greater consequence of failure and cost of
rectification of HV lines bonding should always be utilised.
Line auto-reclose operations
Utilisation of the following formula will give the auto-reclose operations that can be expected from a line
due to direct strikes in a specific area.
The number of strikes (Ns) to a line may be calculated as follows:
Ns = Ng (28 H 0.6 + W) * L * 10-3
Ng
L
H
W

strikes per year

= ground flash density (km-2 yr-1)

= line length (km)
= average tower height (m)
= line width (m)

For exposed MV lines the approximate number of auto reclose operations per annum is given in the
following table. The line length is the total line length, including spurs.

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Direct lightning strikes per year
Line length Ng
Ground flash density /km2/yr
Km
2
4
6
8
25
6
11
17
22
50
11
22
33
45
75
17
33
50
67
100
22
45
67
89
125
28
56
84
112
150
33
67
100
134
175
39
78
117
156
200
45
89
134
178

10
28
56
84
112
139
167
195
223

The ground flash densities for various stations are given in the Distribution Standard and should be used
as a guide to determine the expected outage rate in an area.
Should a line exhibit outages in excess of the value shown in the table above then an investigation
should be undertaken to determine the cause. Factors other than lightning, such as fires or equipment
failure will also contribute to the number of outages. Generally should the number of outages greatly
exceed the value calculated then BILs will be found to be low on several structures and rectification will
need to be undertaken.

Signed

Signed

COMPILED BY:

APPROVED BY:

G Stanford
Plant Technologies Senior Engineer
Distribution Technology

A Bekker
Plant Technologies Manager
Distribution Technology