safety

clearances
(mm)
Phase -to-
earth ( mm )
Phase -to-
Phase
( mm )
36 170 - 320 320 2800
72.5 325 - 630 630 3100
123 450 - 900 900 3400
550 - 1100 1100 3700
145 550 - 1100 1100 3700
650 - 1300 1300 3800
245 950 - 1900 1900 4300
1050 - 2100 2100 4600
420 1425 1050 (Ph- E) 3400
*
- 6400
1575 (Ph-Ph) - 4200
**
800 2100 1550 (Ph-E) 6400
*
9400
**
10300
2550 (Ph-Ph)
* Based on Rod - structure air gap
** Based on Rod - conductor air gap
$ This value of air clearances are the minimum values dictated by electrical consideration and do not include
any addition for construction tolerances, effect of short circuits, wind effects and safety of personnel, etc.
Minimum clearance
$
( According to CBIP )
Clearances required for substation up to 800 kV
Highest
system
Voltage ( kV )
Lightning
impulse
voltage ( kVp )
Switching
impulse voltage
( kVp )
kV (rms) kV (peak) mm mm mm
12 60 90 90 2600
75 120 120 2600
36 145 - 270 2750
170 320 320 3000
72.5 325 630 630 3500
123 450 900 900 3500
550 1100 1100 4000
145 450 900 900 3500
550 1100 1100 4000
650 1300 1300 4000
245 650 1300 1300 4000
750 1500 1500 -
850 1600 1700 4500
950 1900 1900 4500
1050 2400 2100 5000

Minimum Electrical clearance for outdoor switchgear
Voltage rating
(Highest
System
Voltage)
Impulse
Withstand
Level
Min clearance
to Earth
Sectional
clearance
Minimum
clearance
between phases
According to IS : 10118 ( part III )
CORRELATIONS BETWEEN INSULATION LEVELS AND
Nominal
voltage of
system
Highest
voltage for
equipment
Rated short
duration power-
frequency
withstand
voltage
Rated lightning
impulse withstand
voltage
a
Un
r.m.s
Um
r.m.s
r.m.s
1.2/50 s
( peak value )
Indoor
installations
Outdoor
installations
kV kV kV kV mm mm
20 60 120
40 60 120
40 60 120
60 90 120
60 90 150
75 120 150
95 160 160
75 120 160
95 160 160
95
125
145
145
170
45 52 95 250
66 72.5 140 325
185
b
450
230 550
185
b
450
b
230 550
275 650
230
b
550
b
275 650
325 750
275
b
650
b
325
b
750
b
360 850
395 950
460 1050
c. For rod-structure.
Nominal
Voltage of
System
Highest
Voltage for
equipment
c
Rated lightning
impulse
withstand
voltage
a
Rated switching
impulse withstand
voltage
Rated
switching
impulse
withstand
voltage
Un
r.m.s
Um
r.m.s
1.2/50 s
(peak value)
Phase-to-earth
250/2500 s
(peak value)
Conductor
-
structure
Rod
-
structure
N
Phase-to-
phase
250/2500 s
(peak value)
Conducto
r
-
conductor
parallel
Rod
-
conductor
kV kV kV kV kV
850/950 750
1600
1700
b
1900 1125 2300 2600
950/1050 850
1800
1900
b
2400 1275 2600 3100
950/1050 850
1800
1900
b
2400 1275 2600 3100
1050/1175 950 2200 2900 1425 3100 3600
1050/1175 850
1900
2200
b
2400 1360 2900 3400
1175/1300 950
2200
2400
b
2900 1425 3100 3600
1300/1425 1050 2600 3400 1575 3600 4200
1175/1300 950
2200
2400
b
2900 1615 3700 4300
1300/1425 1050 2600 3400 1680 3900 4600
1425/1550 1175 3100 4100 1763 4200 5000
1675/1800 1300 3600 4800 2210 6100 7400
1800/1950 1425 4200 5600 2423 7200 9000
1950/2100 1550 4900 6400 2480 7600 9400
Minimum clearances in air- Voltage range I ( 1kV < Um 245 kV )
( Table 1 of IEC 61936-1 )
220 245
1300
1500
1700
1900
2100
150
132 145
900
1100
1300
170
1100
1300
1500
320
480
630
110 123
900
1100
b. If values are considered insufficient to prove that the required phase-to-phase withstand voltages are met,
additional phase-to-phase withstand tests are needed.
160
220
270
15 17.5 38
20 24 50
3 10
20 7.2 6
a. The rated lightning impulse is applicable to phase- to-phase and phase- to earth.
30 36 70
270
380 420
Voltage
range
Minimum phase-to-earth and phase-
to-phase clearance,N
c
28 12 10
I
3.6
275 300
700
Minimum clearances in air- Voltage range II ( U
m
> 245 kV )
( Table 2 of IEC 61936-1 )
Voltage
range
Minimum phase-to-earth clearence
Minimum phase-to-
phase clearence
mm mm
330 362
480
525
(550)
c
and 1200kV, and of the associated rated withstand voltages, is under consideration.
765
(800)
c
a. The rated lightning impulse is applicable phase- to-phase and phase- to earth.
b. Minimum clearance required for upper value of rated lightning impulse withstand voltage.
c. The introduction of Um = 550 kV (instead of 525 kV): 800 kV(Instead of 765 kV): 1200 kV, of a value between 765 kV
II

Nominal system
voltage/BIL/SIL
Basic Electrical
clearence
(phase-to-earth)
Safety Working
clearence
(Vertical)
Safety working
clearence
(horizontal)
(see note 1)
Insulation Height
(pedestrian access)
(see note 2)
Phase- to-phase
clearence
kV m m m m m
6.6/75 0.5
2)
2.9 2.3 2.1 0.25
11/95 0.5
2)
2.9 2.3 2.1 0.25
33/170 0.5
2)
2.9 2.3 2.1 0.43
66/325 0.7 3.1 2.5 2.1 0.78
132/550/650 1.1 3.5 2.9 2.1 1.4
275/1050/850 2.1 4.8 3.9 2.4 2.4
400/1425/1050 2.8 5.5 4.6 2.4 3.6
Note: 1. The safety working clearences(horizontal) in column 4 are regarded as minimum clearences.
For systems where the predominant volatges are higher (275 kV and 400 kV) it is practice in the UK that the
horizontal and vertical clearences are equal, conforming to the minimum figures in column 3.
Note: 2. The insulation height(pedestrain access)figures in column 5 are shown in respect of the appropriate system
voltage as follows:
(a) for systems predominantly involving distribution voltages,i.e. upto and including 132 kV,2.1 m is the recommended
minimum requirement:
(b) for systems where the predominant voltages are higher,i.e. 275 kV and 400kV, 2.4 m is the recommended
minimum requirement.
circumstances, it might be convenient to design and operate to the clearence for the highest voltage equipment.
Clearences practice used within UK
The above figures are regarded as minimum clearences. Users and operators may wish to allow further clearence greater
than that shown for the voltage level in column 5, particularly for equipment at the higher distribution voltages situated in
a single compound with higher voltage equipment present in a compound subject to a greater clearence. In these
Section 5 of BS 7354 : 1990
Phase -
Earth ( mm )
Phase -Phase
( mm )
36 170 - 320 320 2800 3700
72.5 325 - 630 630 3000 4000
123 450 - 900 900 3500 4600
550 - 1100 1100 4000 4600
145 550 - 1100 1100 4000 4600
650 - 1300 1300 4000 4600
245 950 - 1900 1900 4500 5500
1050 - 2100 2100 5000 5500
420 1425 1050 (Ph- E) 3400
**
- 6500 8000
1575 (Ph-Ph) - 4200
***
* This is defined by IE rules
** Based on Rod - structure air gap
*** Based on Rod - conductor air gap

Minimum clearance
Clearances required for different voltage levels as per TCE standard
Switching
insulation level
( kVp )
Basic
insulation level
( kVp )
Highest
system
Voltage ( kV )
Sectional
clearance
( mm )
Ground
clearance (
mm )
*
Highest system voltage (kV) Safety working clearance (m)
12 2.6
36 2.8
72.5 3.1
145 3.7
245 4.3
420 6.4
800 10.3

As per IE rules ( Rule 64)