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Correlation between recorded CG lightning discharges and shut-downs of

selected HV overhead power transmission lines in Poland

Conference Paper · January 2014

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Marek Loboda Krzysztof Lenarczyk

Warsaw University of Technology Polish Transmission System
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 2014 International Conference on Lightning Protection (ICLP), Shanghai, China

Correlation between recorded CG lightning

discharges and shut-downs of selected HV
overhead power transmission lines in Poland
Marek Łoboda Krzysztof Lenarczyk
Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Electrical PSE S.A. - Polish Transmission System
Engineering, Department of High Voltage Engineering Maintenance Grid Department, Overhead Line Division
and Electromagnetic Compatibility
Konstancin-Jeziorna, Poland
Warsaw, Poland
krzysztof.lenarczyk@pse.pl
marek.loboda@ee.pw.edu.pl

Abstract — The paper is addressed to analysis of shut- down or temporary disconnection of the
downs occurred in high voltage transmission lines and
recorded lightning discharges in Poland. The problem is overhead line was caused by direct or nearby
focused on 220kV and 400 kV overhead lines in years 2008- strike it is in some cases very difficult as the
2013. The lightning data were recorded by lightning
location system LINET while fault data of transmission lines
verification of the line equipment damage (i.e. of
were collected by the Polish Transmission System operator. insulator or lightning protection wire) may be done by
The analysis correlate the lightning discharge parameters visual inspection only.
and technical characteristics of selected 220kV and 400 kV
transmission lines located in different regions of Poland In years 2008-2013 the operator of Polish electric
characterised by different intensity of lightning discharges. power high voltage transmission system PSE recorded
over 180 shut downs of 220 kV and 400 kV lines caused
Keywords-component; CG lightning intensity, HV by lightning while the total length of transmission lines
overhead power transmission lines, faults and shut-downs
circuits was 13 405 km. Majority of lines are one circuit
of line, lightning current parameters.
lines.
I. INTRODUCTION
Poland is located in geographical region of Europe
where the lighting activity is intensified during so called
„lighting season”, which starts in April and lasts usually up
to end of October. However, there are observed and
recorded lightning CG discharges during whole the year.
The thunderstorm days map of Poland published by
Polish met service - IMGW [1] is shown in Fig.1. In 2006
started to operate in Poland the lightning location
System LINET [2,3] which uses sensors located inside
Poland and in surrounding countries (mainly Germany,
Czech Republic, and Slovakia). LINET exhibits high
detection efficiency for both CG and IC discharges.
However, there are also available lightning data from
another Polish lightning location system PERUN [3], but
detection efficiency and location accuracy of CG
discharges recorded by LINET is higher.
Lightning discharges can cause significant damages
Figure.1 Thunderstorm days map of Poland based on 20 years
in HV transmission lines resulting in temporary meteorological observations [1].
disconnections, shut-downs or reclosures due
to the direct strikes but also in temporary The annual number of lightning strikes NL into
overhead transmission line can be estimated using the
disturbances due to nearby strikes. The formula:
assessment and discrimination if the shut-

1
 -6
NL = NG ·AL·10 (1) analysis of transmission lines) using equations (1÷3) and
data presented in Fig.1,3 and 4 are shown in Table I.
Where: NG is the lightning ground flash density
(1/km2year); AL is the collection area of flashes striking When taking into account the average sag of
the line (m2). shielding ground wires between spans the average height
of the typical line tower may be lower by app. 10%. Thus
NG = a·TDb (2) may reduce the estimated number of lightning strikes
given in Table I within the same range depending on the
Where for Poland a = 0,036 and b = 1 were estimated line nominal voltage and line configuration.
[4].
For the isolated overhead transmission line on flat
ground, the collection area AL is defined by the
intersection between the ground surface and a straight
line with 1/3 slope, which passes from the ground
conductors of the line (touching it there) and length of
the line. Determination of the value of AL may be
performed graphically or mathematically depending on
the tower configuration and number of ground wires.
Assuming that typical equivalent projection of the
line tower and conductors in Poland creates rectangle
versus ground surface (see Fig.3 and 4), the collection
area of transmission line AL can be calculated as follow

AL = (6 H +W) · L (3)

Where H - is height of ground wire on the line tower, W

– is width of the tower and L – is length of the line,
expressed in meters.
Figure 2. Location of existing and planned electric power transmission
lines in Poland [4]; - 400 kV in red and 220 kV in green; double line
II. CHARACTERISTICS OF HV TRANSMISSION LINES IN POLAND
indicates two circuit transmission line [5].
AND ESTIMATED LIGHTNING EXPOSURE

In Fig.2 is shown map of Poland with locations of

existed and planned to be constructed (up to 2015)
overhead transmission electric power lines – 220 kV (in
green) and 400 kV (in red). According to requirements of
international and Polish standards the entire transmission
line shall be protected against lightning damages by
shielding ground wires creating the protective zones. The
required shielding angle for external line conductors shall
be ≤ 20o for single circuit line while in case of double
o
circuit line the angle shall not be greater than 45 . Many Figure 3. Typical straight-line supporting tower used in existing one
transmission lines in Poland have ground wires circuit 220 kV overhead transmission lines in Poland h=26,5 m,
H=30,8 m, W=15,2, dimensions in m.
incorporating the optical wire - OPGW.
For effective lighting protection of overhead
transmission lines the important role plays the grounding
system of towers and its maximum resistance to earth. In
Poland generally it shall not exceed the value of 15 Ω if
soil resistivity ρ<1000 Ωm or 20 Ω when ρ>1000 Ωm.
Drawings of typical existing metallic towers used for
construction of 220 kV and 400 kV transmission lines in
Poland are shown in Fig.3 and Fig.4 respectively.
Estimated numbers of annual lightning strikes NL in
Figure 4. Typical straight-line supporting tower used in existing 400 kV
220 kV and 400 kV per 100km length of line for Poland one circuit overhead transmission lines in Poland; h=29 m, H=31,3 m,
(typical unit length of line for lightning performance W = 20,6 m; dimensions in m.
TABLE I. ESTIMATED NUMBER OF LIGHTNING STRIKES INTO TRANSMISSION LINE The shutdown of line was defined as an event when
Ground flash Annual number of lightning strikes fault clearing and the automatic reclosures were not
Part of
density NG NL successful in 1 minute from the recorded fault time. The
Poland
1/km2×year Per 100 km length of line automatic successful reclosures mean that the line started
200 kV 29 ÷41 to operate immediately after the lightning event.
North 1,5 ÷2,1
400 kV 30 ÷43 Majority of recorded faults due to lightning strikes
200 kV 35 ÷49 were the automatic reclosures, while duration of shut-
Central 1,8 ÷2,5 downs was extended in individual cases up to several
400 kV 37 ÷51
hours.
200 kV 45 ÷67
South 2,3 ÷3,4 Comparing those values with estimated number of
400 kV 47 ÷69
calculated annual lightning strikes NL in 220 kV and 400
Average per year for 200 kV 36 ÷52 kV lines presented in Table I it is possible to assess the
Poland 400 kV 38 ÷54 probability P that the direct lightning strike in the
transmission line will cause any kind of fault (shut-downs
III. ANALYSIS OF SHUT-DOWNS AND DISCONNECTIONS OF 220 or reclosures) with different economic effects. This
KV AND 400 KV LINES CAUSED BY LIGHTNING probability can be defined as
The total length of HV transmission lines in Poland [5]
is P = NRLF / NL (4)
 220 kV (one and double circuit) - 6759 km,
For Polish HV transmission system estimated values of
 400 kV (one and double circuit) - 4194 km. average annual probability P of lightning fault based on
A. Statistcs of lightning outages PSE data [5] in years 2008÷2013 are
The number of lightning outages of 220 kV and 400  for 220 kV lines, P = 5 10-3 ÷ 7 10-3,
kV transmission lines recorded by the operator - PSE in  for 400 kV lines, P = 5,5 10-3 ÷ 7 10-3.
years 2008÷2013 are shown in Table II [5]. It should be
noted that majority of 220 and 400 kV lines within 6 It means that the efficiency of lightning protection
years period were fault due to lightning only once, measures installed is high and for climatic conditions of
however, individual lines were struck by lightning more Poland the lightning damage risk of HV transmission line
often. The highest recorded number of lightning faults is rather moderate.
was 5 for a 220 kV, while one of 400 kV line was 8 time
B. Analysis of lightning performance of selected
disconnected due lightning.
transmission lines
TABLE II. RECORDED NUMBER OF LIGHTNING FAULTS OF TRANSMISSION LINES More detailed analyses of lightning faults are
IN POLAND presented for selected transmission lines located in
Number of recorded faults different regions of Poland using archived lightning data
(shut downs and reclosures) from LINET [2] database.
NRLF
Year
200 kV 400 kV Two 220 kV and two 400 kV transmission lines have
Shut- Reclo- Shut- Reclo- been selected where outages were caused by lightning in
downs sures downs sures 2013.The routes (red lines) of selected lines are shown in
2008 2 12 1 6 Fig.5 ÷ Fig.8 on Google maps together with the line
2009
passage having 1 km width (white) in which are plotted
6 12 2 12
the recorded by LINET cloud-to-ground lightning strokes
2010 8
4 15 5 (red dots). The lightning activity was observed for 24
2011 6 21 2 16 hours period (1 thunderstorm day) of specific day when
2012 12
the lighting strikes caused only one fault of the line. On
7 12 5
zoomed part of the maps (b) individual lightning strokes
2013 1 9 0 7
which probably caused the outage are indicated with red
Total 26 81 13 63 numbered marks.
Average per year 4,3 13,5 2,2 10,5
Comparing the disconnection time of the line and
Total faults 97 78 time of lightning strokes occurrence it was possible to
Total faults per identify the stroke and its parameters (lightning current
100 km line 0,26 0,30 and polarity) which are matched and assumed to cause
length/year
outage of the line. For each case was counted the total
number of lightning strokes located within the 1 km wide
line corridor during selected thunderstorm day. It should
be mentioned that claimed and experimentally verified in
Central and South Poland LINET lightning CG discharges
location accuracy is 150-200 m. Main lightning data for
selected lines are shown in Table III.
B (220 kV line located in Central Poland) estimated
overvoltage value exceeded significantly insulation
withstand level, while in other cases the calculated
overvoltages were relatively low.
a) b)

1 – Im = - 13,1 kA
TABLE III. RECORDED NUMBER OF LIGHTNING FAULTS OF TRANSMISSION LINES
IN POLAND

Nominal Lightning stroke characteristics

line Number Calcula-
Case voltage, of Number Cur-rent ted
symbol, strokes of value
over-
length and within strokes and
per polarity voltage
location of 1 km
km2/day [kA] UT
the line corridor
[kV]
220 kV,
A BGC-CHM,
L = 67,9 km, 40 0,6 -13,1 - 525
South
Poland
220 kV,
B KON-ADA
L = 37,5 km 45 1,2 -59,1 - 2370
Central
Poland Figure 5. Route a) and its zoomed part b) of 220 kV line BGC-CHM with
400 kV, stroke 1, which is assumed to cause the lightning fault.
C JOA-ROG,
L= 78,0 km, 10 0,1 +16,0 + 643 a) b)
Central
1 – Im = - 59,1 kA,
Poland
400 kV, 2 - Im = - 9,8 kA,
D RZE-TAW
3 - Im = - 14,9 kA,
L= 86,0 km 33 0,4 -10,9 - 438
South 4 - Im = - 22,1 kA
Poland

For all four cases were calculated lightning

overvoltages, taking using methodology described by
Visacro et al. [6], assuming that the strikes were direct to
the line towers. The lightning overvoltage on the top of
tower UT may be describe by formula

(5)

Where: ZT – is tower impedance, ZG – earthing impedance

of tower, Im – maximum value of lightning current, H –
tower height, - velocity of current propagation (velocity Figure 6. Route a) and its zoomed part b) of 220 kV line KON-ADA with
of light), TF –front time of current wave. strokes 1 ÷ 4, stroke 1 is assumed to cause the lightning fault.

Results of overvoltage calculations are also shown in
Table III. All of them have been done for the same
parameters: ZT = 200 Ω, ZG = 20 Ω, TF = 10 µs and
travelling wave speed = 300m/µs but for different
height of towers H (see Fig.2 and Fig.3) and for lightning
current values bolded in Fig.6÷Fig.8. The required
lightning withstand voltage insulation level of 220 kV line
is 1050 kV, while for 400 kV line is 1425 kV. Only in Case
Comparing estimated lightning overvoltage values
with observed outage details it can be noted that in Case
B was recorded short-circuit between two phase
conductors and shut-down duration of the line was
almost one hour. For other cases was noted the phase to
ground short circuit with successful reclosures in few
seconds after the lightning event.
a) b)
1 – Im =16,0 kA
Figure 7. Route a) and its zoomed part b) of 400 kV line JOA-ROG with
stroke 1, which is assumed to cause lightning fault.
a)
b) 1 – Im =-7,3 kA , 2 – Im =- 9,2,0 kA , 3 – Im =10,9 kA
Figure 8. Route a) and its zoomed part b) of 400 kV line RZE-TAW with
strokes 1÷ 3, stroke 3 is assumed to cause lightning fault.
CONCLUSIONS
The statistical data of HV transmission lines lightning
performance in years 2006-2013 in Poland have been
studied for the first time in correlation with lightning
data available from lightning location system LINET.
The analysis of estimated frequency of 220 kV and
400 kV lightning exposure and comparison with
recorded by transmission system operator line outages
shows that the probability of lightning outage in Poland
-3 -3
is moderate and varies in range 5 10 ÷ 7 10 .
However, economic losses of lightning damages of
individual transmission lines are not taken in
consideration in this paper.
In general, the lightning protection system of lines is
quite efficient and damages of line insulation system are
not very frequent in Poland comparing with the total
length of lines. This is mainly due to fact that majority of
transmission lines are located in flat topological areas
and in low altitudes and characterised by lightning flash
density in range of 1,5 ÷3,4 flash/km2  year.
Application of lightning location system archived data
for study of lightning performance of individual lines is
very useful [7 ÷ 11] and became easier thanks to
implementation of CG lightning data in commonly used
available tools like Google maps and Internet. This gives
new opportunities to detail study of lightning events
influence on transmission line performance and caused
by them damages including the assessment of lightning
outages and improvement of lightning protection
measures.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Authors wish to thank the Nowcast company
(Germany) the operator of LINET system for providing
lightning data for purpose of this paper and Mr. Jaroslaw
Loboda for preparing maps with line routes and
lightning strokes.
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