Clearances required for substation up to 800 kV

( According to CBIP )
Minimum clearance $
Highest
Lightning
Switching
system
impulse
impulse voltage
Voltage ( kV ) voltage ( kVp ) ( kVp )

Phase -toPhase -to- Phase

earth ( mm )
( mm )
320
320

safety
clearances
(mm)

36

170

2800

72.5

325

630

630

3100

123

450
550

900
1100

900
1100

3400
3700

145

550
650

1100
1300

1100
1300

3700
3800

245

950
1050

1900
2100

1900
2100

4300
4600

420

1425

1050 (Ph- E)
1575 (Ph-Ph)

3400 *
-

4200 **

6400

800

2100

1550 (Ph-E)
2550 (Ph-Ph)

6400 *

9400 **

10300

* 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 Electrical clearance for outdoor switchgear

According to IS : 10118 ( part III )
Voltage rating
(Highest
System
Voltage)

Impulse
Withstand
Level

Minimum
Min clearance clearance
to Earth
between
phases

Sectional
clearance

kV (rms)

kV (peak)

mm

mm

12

mm

60

90

90

2600

75

120

120

2600

36

145
170

320

270
320

2750
3000

72.5

325

630

630

3500

123

450
550

900
1100

900
1100

3500
4000

145

450
550
650

900
1100
1300

900
1100
1300

3500
4000
4000

245

650
750
850
950
1050

1300
1500
1600
1900
2400

1300
1500
1700
1900
2100

4000
4500
4500
5000

CORRELATIONS BETWEEN INSULATION LEVELS AND

Minimum clearances in air- Voltage range I ( 1kV < Um 245 kV )

( Table 1 of IEC 61936-1 )

Nominal
voltage of
system

Highest
voltage for
equipment

Rated short
duration power- Rated lightning
Minimum phase-to-earth and phasefrequency
impulse withstand
to-phase clearance,N c
withstand
voltage a
voltage

Un
r.m.s

Um
r.m.s

r.m.s

Voltage
range

1.2/50 s
( peak value )

kV

kV

kV

3.6

10

Indoor
installations

kV
20
40
40
6
7.2
20
60
60
10
12
28
75
95
75
15
17.5
38
95
95
20
24
50
125
145
145
30
36
70
170
45
52
95
250
I
66
72.5
140
325
185 b
450
110
123
230
550
185 b
450 b
132
145
230
550
275
650
230 b
550 b
150
170
275
650
325
750
275 b
650 b
325 b
750 b
220
245
360
850
395
950
460
1050
a. The rated lightning impulse is applicable to phase- to-phase and phase- to earth.

Outdoor
installations

mm
60
60
60
90
90
120
160
120
160

mm
120
120
120
120
150
150
160
160
160
160
220
270
270
320
480
630
900
1100
900
1100
1300
1100
1300
1500
1300
1500
1700
1900
2100

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.
c. For rod-structure.

Minimum clearances in air- Voltage range II ( Um> 245 kV )

( Table 2 of IEC 61936-1 )

Nominal
Voltage of
System

Highest
Voltage for
equipment c

Rated lightning
impulse
withstand
voltage a

Rated switching
impulse withstand Minimum phase-to-earth clearence
voltage

Un
r.m.s

Um
r.m.s

1.2/50 s
(peak value)

Phase-to-earth
250/2500 s (peak
value)

Voltage
range

kV

kV

kV

Rod

Conductor
structure

kV

structure
N

Rated
switching
impulse
withstand
voltage

Minimum phase-to-phase
clearence

Phase-tophase
250/2500 s
(peak value)

Conducto Rod
r
conductor
conductor
parallel

mm

kV

mm

1600
850/950
275

II

380

362

420

525
480

1900

1125

2300

2600

2400

1275

2600

3100

2400

1275

2600

3100

2900

1425

3100

3600

2400

1360

2900

3400

2900

1425

3100

3600

3400

1575

3600

4200

2900

1615

3700

4300

1680
1763
2210
2423
2480

3900
4200
6100
7200
7600

4600
5000
7400
9000
9400

1700 b
950/1050

330

750

300
850

950/1050

850

1050/1175

950

1050/1175

850

1175/1300

950

1300/1425

1050

1175/1300

950

1800
1900 b
1800
1900 b
2200
1900
2200 b
2200
2400 b
2600
2200
2400 b
2600
3100
3600
4200
4900

1300/1425
1050
3400
1425/1550
1175
4100
1675/1800
1300
4800
765
700
1800/1950
1425
5600
(800) c
1950/2100
1550
6400
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
(550) c

and 1200kV, and of the associated rated withstand voltages, is under consideration.

Clearences practice used within UK

Section 5 of BS 7354 : 1990

Nominal system
voltage/BIL/SIL

Basic Electrical Safety Working

clearence
clearence
(phase-to-earth) (Vertical)

Safety working
clearence
(horizontal)
(see note 1)

Insulation Height
(pedestrian access)
(see note 2)

Phase- to-phase
clearence

kV
6.6/75
11/95
33/170
66/325
132/550/650
275/1050/850
400/1425/1050

m
0.5 2)
0.5 2)
0.5 2)
0.7
1.1
2.1
2.8

m
2.3
2.3
2.3
2.5
2.9
3.9
4.6

m
2.1
2.1
2.1
2.1
2.1
2.4
2.4

m
0.25
0.25
0.43
0.78
1.4
2.4
3.6

m
2.9
2.9
2.9
3.1
3.5
4.8
5.5

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.
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
circumstances, it might be convenient to design and operate to the clearence for the highest voltage equipment.

Clearances required for different voltage levels as per TCE standard

Highest
Basic
Switching
system
insulation level insulation level
Voltage ( kV )
( kVp )
( kVp )

Minimum clearance
Phase Phase -Phase
Earth ( mm )
( mm )
320
320

36

170

72.5

325

630

123

450
550

145

550
650

245

950
1050

420

1425 1050 (Ph- E)

1575 (Ph-Ph)

* This is defined by IE rules

** Based on Rod - structure air gap
*** Based on Rod - conductor air gap

Sectional
clearance
( mm )

Ground
clearance
mm ) *

2800

3700

630

3000

4000

900
1100

900
1100

3500
4000

4600
4600

1100
1300

1100
1300

4000
4000

4600
4600

1900
2100

1900
2100

4500
5000

5500
5500

6500

8000

3400 **
-

4200 ***

As per IE rules ( Rule 64)

Highest system voltage (kV)

Safety working clearance (m)

12
36
72.5
145
245
420
800

2.6
2.8
3.1
3.7
4.3
6.4
10.3