Controlling Lightning

Induced Outages on
Overhead Lines
By
Kevin Mara, P.E.
770-425-8100
 Lightning Protection Overview
• Why do we need lightning protection?
– 20% of all distribution outages are caused by lightning.
– Reliability
– Cost
• What is lightning?
• How to establish good lightning protection scheme.
Definition of Lightning Wave Shape

• Follows Ohms law

– V=IxR
• Strike has current flowing
and path has impedance
• Voltage is caused by current
flow
 Definition of Lightning Wave
Shape
• Standard Direct Lightning Strike Current Wave
– 8/20µs
– 8 microseconds rise time to 90% peak
– 20 microseconds to half of peak value
• Standard Direct Lightning Strike Voltage Wave
– 0.25/100µs
– 0.25 microseconds rise time to 90% peak
– 100 microseconds to half of peak value
• Standards used in surge testing and ratings of
equipment
Typical Wave Shape used to Define
Lightning for Laboratory Tests
 Peak Current Amplitude
P e a k C u r r e n t A m p litu d e

N um ber P r o b a b ility o f L o g -N o r m a l A p p r o x im a tio n

of D a ta E x c e e d in g
10
V a lu e s M e d ia n 100kA M e d ia n lo g I

338 34 kA 2 .5 % 30 kA 0 .3 2

Strokes Per Flash

10
Number of Strokes or
per Flash 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 more

Frequency of
Occurrence (%) 45 14 9 8 8 4 3 3 2 4
Cumulative (%)
Exceeding (n-1)
Strokes 100 55 41 32 24 16 12 9 6 4

NRECA Lightning Protection Guide

 Ground Flash Density
• Number of lightning flashes per unit density
(strikes/km2/year)
• Flashes per year per square mile
– Determined by multiplying Ground Flash Density by
2.59
• Lightning Detection Network has actual
recorded values.
• Ground Flash Density Chart
 Lightning Strikes to the Line
Two different ways:
1. It can strike an object in close proximity, resulting in an
INDUCED strike
2. It can be a DIRECT strike on the line

 
 Direct Strikes to Line
• Causes a surge current that splits an goes both ways
on the line
• This causes a high voltage and flashover at the poles
V=IR
• Impedance of a distribution line 456 to 228 ohms
– First stroke current > 4.4 kA
– Voltage will exceed 1,000 kV
• 99% of direct lightning strike will cause distribution
line flashovers
• Overhead Guy Wire can intercept the direct strikes
Need to be well grounded to be useful
 Number of Direct Strike

 28h 0.6 
N  N g  
 621 
• N = Flash Collection Rate (flashes/1 mile/yr.).
• Ng =Ground Flash density (GFD) in flashes/km2/yr.
• H = pole height (meters)
Direct Strikes a Function of
Pole Height and GFD
Adjacent Trees can
shield power lines from
Shielding of
direct lightning strikes Power Lines
NS= N(1- Sf )
Where
NS= Flash Collection
Rate for Shielded Line
(flashes/1 mile/yr.).

N = Flash Collection
Rate (flashes/1
mile/yr.).

Sf = Shielding Factor
 Shielding Factors
• For example, a row of 66-foot tall trees
within 50 feet of a pole line with 40 foot poles
a shielding factor of 1.0 which is 100% shielding
(i.e. no direct strikes to the power line).
• Tall trees even 164 feet (50 m) from the distribution
line provide a high level of shielding.
– 60% shielding
• Results in may induced lightning strikes
 Induced Voltage
• Just because lightning does not strike a line directly
does not mean a flashover will not occur
• An underbuilt distribution line will exhibit induced
voltage if built underneath a high voltage transmission
line.
• Similarly, lightning can induce voltages onto the
distribution system when the lightning strike is near
the distribution line
• A 30kA lightning strike 200 feet from an infinite long
line can induce 175kV and the same lightning strike
100 feet from the same infinite long line can induce
350 kV.
– Most voltages are less than 300 kV
 Distribution Line
Insulation Level
• Recommended method per IEEE 1410 for determining
the probability of a flashover is to use the critical
impulse flashover voltage (CFO), rather than BIL
– voltage level at which there is a 50% chance of a
flashover and 50% chance of a withstand
• CFO is not additive
– Each additional element has a reduction in CFO
– Based on extensive testing
 Added CFO of 
CFO1,2 of Primary Insulation Added CFO of second component
third component
Description and 
CFOadd.sec 
Description Type 3  CFOins (kV) Description CFOadd.third 
(kV/ft)
(kV/ft)
12 kV         120 kV             Wood pole 64
Polymer Insulator
25 kV 140 kV Fiberglass pole 125

Wood pole 72
CFOadd sec = 0.45 x CFOins ANSI 55‐3 
Wood crossarm 76
Ceramic Pin‐Type  (12 kV)        105 kV            
Fiberglass pole 122
Insulator ANSI 55‐5  120 kV
Fiberglass crossarm 76
CFOadd third = 0.20 x CFOins (25 kV)
Fiberglass standoff 96

Wood pole 27
Horizontal 
12 kV         140 kV             Wood crossarm 49 Wood Pole: 20     
Polymer String 
25 kV 260 kV Fiberglass crossarm 76 Fiberglass 
Insulator 
Fiberglass standoff 96 Standoff: 60

2x102mm  Wood pole 27
Horizontal 
(12 kV)        165 kV             Wood crossarm 49
Ceramic Insulator 
3x102mm  250 kV Fiberglass crossarm 76
String 
(4")(25 kV) Fiberglass standoff 96

12kV Ceramic Pin 47
Guy Strain  25kV Ceramic Pin 54
152 kV/ft
Insulator 12kV Polymer String 63
25kV Polymer String 117

NOTE 1‐‐ All values are CFO levels obtained in standard wet tests.                                                              
NOTE 2‐‐Values are the minimum of the negative and positive polarity values.                                         
NOTE 3‐‐ Insulators are shown as examples only. Refer to Manufacturer's data for more exact values.
CFO of Various RUS Assemblies

18-inch Wood
Grounded Guy Path in
Guy Insulator CFO (kV) feet
A1.1 285 2.5
A1.1 √ 195 1.25
A1.1 √ 300 2.5
A5.1* √ 181 1.5
A5.1* √ 321 1.5
C1.11 285 2.5
C1.11 √ 185 1.25
C1.11 √ 300 1.25
* Using polymer suspension
 CFO of a C1.11 with a guy
• Pole top pin
– 105 kV for insulator
– Guy 1.25 ft from the bottom
of the pin
(1.25x72kV=125 kV)
– Total 195 kV
• Insulated guy links can
increase the CFO
– Guy Insulator 1.5 ft x 152kV/ft
= 228 kV
– 47kV for Insulator
– Wood 1.25 x 20 kV/ft = 25 kV
Total is 300 kV when using guy
strain insulator
 Framing of Structure
• Impacts CFO
• RUS specifications
– Changed spacing on guy attachments
– Require use of guy insulator links
• Training ground conductor so it is not near phase
associated hardware
– Extend from neutral position horizontally to the down
guy
• Arrester on pole eliminates need for high CFO
– Grounding conductor near phase associated hardware
 Distribution Line Insulation
Level
• Increasing the CFO will improve the lightning
performance for indirect lightning strikes
• Supplement CFO with arresters
• How much CFO is enough?
 Induced Voltage
• The magnitude of the
induced surge is
dependent on the soil
conductivity.
– Use 300 kV CFO
where
• High soil
conductivity (low
impedance)
– Consider 420 kV CFO
where
• Low soil conductivity
(high impedance)
Use of Arresters and CFO for
Direct Strikes
 Arresters and Induced
Voltages
• Spacing arresters reduces path of the voltage surge
– Reduces in impedance because of shorter distance
• Every pole is expensive
• So how far apart should the arresters be spaced?
Arresters can greatly reduce flashovers from
induced lightning surges
Protecting Switches, Reclosers,
and Line Fuses
• In areas with high ground flash density (GFD),
switches that are normally in the open position should
be protected by arresters at both sides of the switches
• Line fuses have a relatively low CFO
– Equip tap fuses with arresters
 Spacing of
Lightning Arrestors
• Certain structures will be “control points” in that these
points will be equipped with arresters
– Reclosers, Switches, Transformers, etc.
• Suggest spacing of 1,500 feet
– Shown in the graph
– 300 kV CFO plus spacing of 1,500 feet
 Application of
Lightning Arrestors
1. Pole at or near the crest of a hill with no shielding (no
adjacent trees)
2. Pole in an open field with no shielding
3. Pole at or near the bottom of a hill with no shielding
4. Pole with shielding on only one side
5. Pole with shielding on two sides
6. Pole in low area with shielding
7. Poles adjacent to transmission lines
 Application Rules for
Lightning Arrestors
• Three-phase lines:
– Control point is only a structure that has arresters on all
three phases
• Single phase lines:
– Density of consumers/density of transformers helps to
provide the number of lightning arresters to meet the
1,500 foot spaces between arresters
 Summary
• Lightning cases as much as 20% of outages
• Lightning can induce 300 kV on to a line
• Control overvoltage by using CFO and Arresters
• CFO is maintained by framing the pole
– Guy insulator links
– Use of wood in separation
• Arrester spacing 1,500 feet
– Spacing of 750 feet twice as expensive
– No much gain in reduction