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B1-107

CIGRE 2012

Overhead to Underground Transmission Line Coupling Technical Recommendations to Brazilian Utilities

N.H.G.R de Louredo (*) EDS Engenharia Brazil R.O.C Moreira Cemig Brazil

E.K. Filho EDS Engenharia Brazil M. Coelho Procable Brazil

J.C.R Lopes Inovatec Brazil C.D Peixoto Light SES/A Brazil

P.A.M do Vale CEB Brazil J.M Camargo Eletropaulo Brazil

SUMMARY
The first overhead to underground transition installations in Brazil were done in the 70s. Almost all of them are found in closed areas protected by fences or concrete walls without public access and installed into substations. Regarding the protection system, the transitions inside the substations have circuit breakers, switches and current (CT) and potential transformers (PT). Even split core current transformers are used in these transitions. During the last 5 or 6 years, the necessity of undergrounding sections of high voltage (138 and 230 kV) overhead transmission lines grew up significantly in Brazil. In the biggest cities like Rio de Janeiro, So Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Florianopolis and Porto Alegre, the increasing urbanization and the population wish for a better quality of life and low visual impact caused by the overhead installations lead to this growing number of solicitations to the utilities to underground transmission lines. Currently in Brazil the experience related to overhead to underground transitions in HV and EHV voltage classes is somewhat limited. One of the largest utility still has many constraints regarding transitions without breakers, switches, PTs and CTs. There are several recent solicitations demanded by many customers to underground sections of overhead lines that didnt succeed probably due to the high costs and visual impact of the transition substations required by utilities in Brazil. Many of these transitions can be safely build in specials structures where the surge arresters are installed as the overvoltage protective device close to the power cables terminations, just like the ones that were presented in the Technical Brochure 250 of Cigr General Guidelines for Integration of a New Underground Cable System in the Network [1]. Many Brazilian utilities have representatives in the Brazilian National Study Committee SC B1 Insulated Cables. In 2009 the Brazilian SC B1 members thought it was interesting the creation of a working group, WG B1-05, to elaborate a recommendation based on international practices and concrete technical arguments, in order to make feasible and to facilitate the implementation of safe and compact transitions. This recommendation of transitions must focus on the usage of the essential and necessary protection devices and also consider the usual operation practices of the national utilities like the reclosing of underground transmission lines criteria in mixed systems. The paper presents the results of the mentioned working group. The survey made among the Brazilian utilities, the technical references, and examples of transitions installed by some Brazilian utilities in the last years are shown. The final recommendations regarding protection schemes and reclosing criteria are also presented.

prico10@uol.com.br

KEYWORDS Underground Line, Transition, Protection, Line Reclosing

INTRODUCTION Terminations of underground transmission lines generally are located within substations. Considerations about design and equipments used in transitions systems inside substations are not the main issue. What is really important to Working Group B1-05 is how to design reliable transition systems observing the issues that affects them. The main issues are: easy access to installation, visual impact, availability of areas with appropriate dimensions, people protection, connections, maintenance, costs and so on. Mixed overhead lines with underground power cables are found all over the world due to many reasons and mentioned in several papers. The different behaviour between underground power cables and overhead lines (coupling) is the main utility technicians concern. Considering this concern the WG B1-05 began its work preparing a questionnaire to be answered by the Brazilian utilities that have overhead to underground line transitions in HV and EHV voltage classes. This survey has questions about several items like: system voltage class, time that the installation was in service (years, months), transitions type (underground to overhead or vice-versa), transition structures material (steel towers or concrete poles), grounding systems, length of underground portion of the line, proximity of the underground section to the source and load substations, protection devices, and system operation criteria. As described in the scope and the Terms of Reference of this working group, the basic purpose would be to create a technical and economical recommendation aimed to overhead/underground transitions (or vice versa). The idea is that this recommendation can help the designers in all projects of transitions, in all voltage classes, among the existing transmission systems in Brazil. TERM OF REFERENCE, TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS AND RECOMMENDATION The term of reference of the working group was: 1. To survey about existing mixed transmission lines among the Brazilian utilities 2. Search of international technical papers regarding mixed transmission lines 3. Assess the results of the survey and the research on technical papers to propose recommendations regarding protection schemes and reclosing criteria for mixed transmission lines in Brazil SURVEY The survey was designed to collect the data that are presented in the questionnaire. The questionnaire was preceded by one letter addressed to Brazilian utility representatives. It should be noted that the research was developed with Brazilian utilities that have underground HV lines. It is important to enhance that some utilities representatives didnt answer all the questions presented in the questionnaire. The main questions of the questionnaire are presented here below: 1.1 Do your utility have overhead to underground (or vice-versa) transitions on transmission lines? What are the voltage classes of these lines? This question aimed to know how many transitions are in operation and in what voltage classes. The answers reported 6 (six) transitions in 138 kV, 1(one) in 88 kV and 1(one) in 230 kV. 1.2 What type of transition(s) is (are) installed in your utility system?

This question aimed to know the transition types. If they are single branches of transmission lines or insertion of underground portion in overhead circuits, and where they were installed: near or far from terminal substations (close to load or the source), or if the transition was installed inside the substation. 1.3 What is the ratio between underground portion lenght and the total transmission line length, according to the voltage class?: The achievement of this ratio allowed to obtain reclosing criteria. (See reclosing recommendation (i)).Example: underground portion = 0.145 km / total transmission line length = 10.0 km corresponding to a ratio of 0.014 (1.4%) . (The WG received answers related only to installations in 138 kV). 1.4 Regarding to the protection and switchgear devices, what is (are) the type(s) that is (are) installed in the transition site?: This question aimed to know the criteria adopted by the several utilities regarding protection devices, associating the transition types to protection schemes. 1.5 Regarding to grounding system, what type(s) is (are) installed in the underground portion of the line?: This question aimed to know about grounding systems, since the bonding methods affecting the zero sequence impedance and consequently protection schemes. Like in question 1.4, associating to transition type. 1.6 Regarding to reclosing, how the utility operates these lines?: This question was formulated as follows: For one specific type of transition, example: underground branch derived from overhead line Is it allowed instantaneous reclosing? Is it allowed a 2nd automatic (time delayed) reclosing? Is it allowed a 2nd manual reclosing (3 min of delay)? It is allowed a 3rd reclosing? Is it allowed reclosing if the fault is not in the underground branch? (Regarding this question the WG didnt ask how the utility operation knows if the fault was in the overhead portion or in the underground portion) Is it not allowed reclosing? The following Figures 1 to 6 shows the results of the answers of the utilities to the questionnaire applied. The abbreviations in the graphics have the following meanings: UB der from OH: Underground Branch derived from Overhead Line OH der from UB: Overhead Line derived from Underground Branch In Sub far from SE: Section of Underground Line far from Substation In Sub near SE source: Section of Underground Line near to Source Substation In Sub near SE load: Section of Underground Line near to Load Substation In Sub Area: Section of Underground Line into Substation Area

Figure 1: Question 1.1 Number of transitions per voltage class

Figure 2: Question 1.2 Type of transition

UB der from OH
0,500 0,400 0,300 0,200 UB der from OH

0,100
0,000 138 kV

Figure 3 : Question 1.3 Ratio of underground section

Figure 4: Question 1.4 Type of protection installed in the transition

Figure 5: Question 1.5 Type of metallic sheet bonding

Figure 6: Question 1.6 Reclosing of the mixed line BRAZILIAN UTILITIES CASE SAMPLES To exemplify the transitions that are most used in Brazil, below there are some cases of installations constructed in the last five years. These lines belong to some Brazilian utilities. The use of compact transitions are due to very specific situations like: interference with airport, submarine crossing, installations in neighbourhood of prime area, and other similar conditions. Portonave 138 kV CELESC (South Brazil) Figure 7 The transmission line Itaja ItaipavaSalseiros- Portonave has approximately 21 km. The overhead portion has 19 km and the underground portion 2.3 km. The underground section was implemented because it was not possible to install the overhead line in the vicinity of the Navegantes airport.

Figure 7 -Transition structure (concrete pole) with surge arresters Wheaton Scania- 138 kV AES Eletropaulo (Southeast Brazil) Figure 8 This line has a singularity, since in practice it is an underground to overhead line transition. Its installation turned feasible to feed three (3) consumers substations in 138 kV voltage class. Localized in a city that has many industries, this transmission line departs from Alvarenga Substation (that belongs to AES Eletropaulo ), and runs along 0.6 km up to the first transition structure and them to substations Wheaton and Scania (that belongs to two big industrial consumers). From the second transition structure the cables were connect to a switching structure and finally goes through an overhead line till other big consumer substation.

Overhead portion with approxima telly 2.0 km

Underground portion with 0.6 km (from SE Alvarenga)

Underground portion with 0.1 km (road crossing) to SEs Wheaton and Scania

Figure 8: Set of transitions and switching to overhead branch output (138 kV Utility: AES Eletropaulo LT Scania-Wheaton) Recreio 138 kV LIGHT SESA (Rio de Janeiro -Southeast Brazil) The Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighbourhood is a Rio de Janeiro City high income area (Tijuca beach). The transmission line Recreio has a total length of 4.5 km, and an underground portion with approximately 0.5 km.

Figure 9 Transition Structure (concrete pole) with surge arresters (138 kV Utility :LIGHT SESA Transmission Line Recreio) Biguau Desterro 230 kV- Submarine Transmission Line ELETROSUL (Santa Catarina South Brazil) The transmission line Biguau-Desterro crosses Santa Catarina island south bay side and has a submarine portion of 4.65 km length. This is one transition compound type. The transition compound type is similar to a small substation. The equipments was installed in ground level and protected by fence.

This transmission line interconnects two substations and the submarine power cable operates in series with the overhead transmission line.

Figure 10 -230 kV transition at the continent side (Utility: ELETROSUL)

Figure 11 - 230 kV transition at Santa Catarina Island side (Utility : ELETROSUL)

INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL PAPERS It is not necessary to say that to make any recommendation for use in Brazil, or in any other country in the world, it is indispensable to start with a bibliographic search of renowned techniques. These techniques, first of all, were researched at the worlds largest engineering forums. The source of information certainly was the most reliable that the WG B1-05 could have found. In fact, the references have been fully met within the context of the bibliography here below. The search of many technical materials appeared to be extremely rich in all aspects. Each paper focuses on specific issues with more emphasis than others. The sum of all was an unanimity concerning the more responsible procedure from the technical and safety points of view. One of the technical papers focus on technical advice which was adopted by utilities in Spain. [3] Others, in general, aim to several issues related to equipments to be used in the transition, the conditions and types of locations of the transitions from the standpoint of access, visual impact, protection of people, and so on. [1], [2], [6].

In some articles are discussed in details issues like: characteristics of the cables (power cables x overhead conductors), such as reactance, AC resistance, zero sequence impedance and shunt capacitance. The articles also cover underground transmission lines failure characteristics and what factors affect it, and consequently the protection schemes [4], [5]. One of the papers explains deeply about the relative position of the underground circuits. It makes considerations if the circuit is close to terminals or between two overhead line portions. The author also presents the most suitable kinds of relay for design of protection schemes.[4] Regarding the reclosing, it mentioned the question related to the single phase short circuit and the protection actuation.[6] RECOMENDATIONS The main deliver of the WG B1-05 is the recommendations that were based on the previous bibliographic search and the survey among the Brazilian utilities. The recommendations that concern mixed systems which has single transition (direct from transition structure to underground circuit) is provided in item 1.1 (protection) and item 1.2 (reclosing). They could be applied by Brazilian utilities in all voltage classes. 1.1. Protection a) Surge Arresters: The protection device that should be used as a common practice in mixed transmission lines to limit overvoltage is the surge arrester, located in the transition structure (overhead line side) and at the other underground end. The surge arrester must be selected from proper dimensioning considering the lighting stroke, the voltage class and the structure footing impedances. b) Protection relays: The type of relays most commonly used in the overhead lines, cannot localize precisely the faults that are typical in underground cable systems. Likewise it is important to know about the state-of-art of the use of protection relays in mixed systems: i) Protection schemes using distance relays: Not recommended due to difficulties presented primarily by the fact that the relay would look different impedances for the various types of grounding (nonlinearity of the zero sequence impedance, since the return path is affected by the type of earthling system: solidly grounded in the extremities, cross bonding and single point bonding).

ii) Protection schemes using differential relays: There are applications that using differential relays, but in this scheme mainly the effects of charging currents and shunt-reactor (if applicable) should be compensated. The solution with differential relays has high costs due to the necessary infra-structure. iii) Protection schemes using impedance relays: This alternative can replace the differential relays, but at the time of commissioning tests it is necessary to make measurements of the impedance parameters (underground length less than overhead length).

1.2. Reclosing i) In systems where the length of the underground portion is approximately 10% of the total length of the circuit is usually enabled the autoreclosing. Example: circuit with 10,000 m long, with an underground portion of up to 1,000 m could have auto reclosing. ii) When the length of underground transmission line is very short, less than 300 meters, it is allowed high-speed reclosing. iii) In some cases, it is more economical that the underground transmission line portion is thermally rated. This fact implies increasing the actuation time of protection for the same amount of the single-phase short-circuit.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] Working Group SC B1-19 CIGRE. General Guidelines for the integration of a new underground cable system in the network (Technical Brochure 250 August 2004 Chapter 4-pages 83-103) [2] Working Group SC B1-07 CIGRE. Statistics of AC underground cables in power network (Technical Brochure 338 December 2007 Chapter 3-pages 39-42) [3] SC B5- Paper 315 Protection of Combined Cable and Overhead Lines Colloquium 2007 October 15-20 Madrid-Spain. [4] Demetrious A. Tziouvaras - Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories -Protection of High Voltage AC Cables . [5] Zihan Xu , Dr. T.S. Sidhu Power Cable Protection in Transmission System [6] Session CIGRE 2002- 21-108 : Technical issues regarding the integration of HVAC Underground Cable Systems in the Network , T.Roizard-P.Argaut (France) , S.Meregalli (Italy) ,H.Ohno (Japan),J.E.Larsen (Norway) , J.Karlstrand(Sweden) , S.D.Mikkelsen(Denmark). [7] A.J. de Oliveira Lima, W.J. Lee and F.G de Oliveira .Transio de Linhas de Transmisso Area para Subterrnea:para cada instalao uma soluo diferente (XIII ERIAC.Argentina March 2009) [8] W.J. Lee, A.J. de Oliveira Lima, J.F. Dutra, J. M. Pinheiro, F.F. Lago, C.A.V. Granata. Projeto de Linha de Transmisso Submarina Biguau-Desterro em 230 kV (XIII ERIAC.Argentina March2009)