IEEE P2778-D4 (2019) - Draft Guide For Solar Power Plant Grounding For Personnel Protection

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P2778/D4, November 2019
Draft Guide for Solar Power Plant Grounding for Personnel Protection
1 P2778™/D4
2 Draft Guide for Solar Power Plant
3 Grounding for Personnel Protection
4 Sponsor
5
6 Energy Development & Power Generation
7 of the
8 IEEE Power and Energy Society
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11 Approved <Date Approved>
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13 IEEE-SA Standards Board
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1 Abstract: This guide is primarily concerned with the grounding system design for photovoltaic
2 solar power plants that are utility owned and/or utility scale (5 MW or greater). The focus of the
3 guide is on differences in practices from substation grounding as provided in IEEE Std 80.
4
5 This guide is not intended for the substations to interconnect the plant; however if the substation
6 is included within the plant, portions of this guide may be applicable. Similarly, this guide does not
7 directly cover small scale solar power plants (such as rooftop type systems), substation
8 grounding, or lightning protection.
9
10 Keywords: Grounding, solar power plant, photovoltaic, personnel, protection
11
12 x
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1 Participants
2 At the time this draft guide was completed, the Wind and Solar Power Plant Collector Design Working
3 Group had the following membership:
4 Loren Powers, Chair

5 Sudipta Dutta, Vice Chair
6
7 Chris Brooks 12 Dustin Howard 17 Loren Powers
8 Josh Brown 13 Andy Leon 18 Doug Price
9 Sudipta Dutta 14 David Lewis 19 Abdou Sana
10 Tracker Goree 15 Dave Mueller 20 Rob Schaerer
11 Matt Hadsell 16 Gopal Padmanabhan 21 Alkesh Shah
22
23 The following members of the <individual/entity> balloting committee voted on this guide. Balloters may
24 have voted for approval, disapproval, or abstention.
25 [To be supplied by IEEE]
26 Balloter1 29 Balloter4 32 Balloter7

35
36 When the IEEE-SA Standards Board approved this guide on <Date Approved>, it had the following
37 membership:
38 [To be supplied by IEEE]
39 <Name>, Chair
40 <Name>, Vice Chair
41 <Name>, Past Chair
42 Konstantinos Karachalios, Secretary
43 SBMember1 46 SBMember4 49 SBMember7

52 *Member Emeritus
53
6
Copyright © 2019 IEEE. All rights reserved.
This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
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1 Introduction
2 This introduction is not part of P2778/D4, Draft Guide for Solar Power Plant Grounding for Personnel Protection.
3 Utility scale solar power plants (SPP) cover areas as large as tens of square kilometers. The approaches
4 presented in IEEE Std 80 for substations do not always directly apply to these much larger facilities. For
5 example, Iin the US, the National Electrical Code (NEC) specifically excludes plants 5 MW and greater
6 and the NESC (IEEE Std C2) [B2] does not provide significant guidance for plant design, primarily
7 referencing IEEE Std 80. IEEE Std 80 is intended for substation environments where ground systems are
8 comparatively small and have dense grid spacing in comparison to the grounding of utility scale solar
9 power plants.
10 This guide was prepared in order to help utilities, developers, and solar power plant operators understand
11 the differences and challenges of utility scale solar power plant grounding. It heavily references IEEE Std
12 80 and IEEE Std 81 for design, testing, and theory of grounding, focusing on the differences from these
13 documents.
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1 Contents
2 1. Overview .................................................................................................................................................... 1
3 1.1 Scope ................................................................................................................................................... 1
4 1.2 Purpose ................................................................................................................................................ 1
5 2. Normative references.................................................................................................................................. 1
6 3. Definitions .................................................................................................................................................. 2
7 4. Description of SPP and SPP grounding systems ........................................................................................ 2

8 4.1 Differences among SPP, traditional power plants and substations ...................................................... 3
9 4.2 Challenges with design and analysis ................................................................................................... 4
10 4.3 Auxiliary systems (equipment frames) for grounding ......................................................................... 4
11 4.4 Fence grounding .................................................................................................................................. 5
12 4.5 Personnel protection in SPP................................................................................................................. 5
13 5. Design and analysis approach....................................................................................................................65

14 5.1 Soil....................................................................................................................................................... 6
15 5.2 Fault data ............................................................................................................................................. 7
16 5.3 SPP grounding design .........................................................................................................................98
17 5.4 Modeling and analysis ........................................................................................................................11
18 5.5 Post-construction testing .....................................................................................................................13
19 Annex A (informative) Bibliography ............................................................................................................14

20
viii
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1 Draft Guide for Solar Power Plant

2 Grounding for Personnel Protection
3 1. Overview
4 1.1 Scope
5 This guide is primarily concerned with the grounding system design for ground-mount photovoltaic solar
6 power plants that are utility owned and/or utility scale (5 MW or greater). The focus of the guide is on
7 differences in practices from substation grounding as provided in IEEE Std 80.
8 This guide is not intended for the substations to interconnect the solar plant; however if the substation is
9 included within the plant, portions of this guide may be applicable. Similarly, this guide does not directly
10 cover small scale solar power plants (such as rooftop type systems), substation grounding, or lightning
11 protection.
12 1.2 Purpose
13 The intent of this guide is to provide guidance and information pertinent to the grounding practices in solar
14 power plants for personnel protection, specifically to identify differences between substation grounding
15 (covered under IEEE Std 80) and solar power plants.
16 This guide is primarily concerned with grounding practices related to personnel protection within solar
17 power plants for 50 Hz or 60 Hz systems.
18 2. Normative references
19 The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document (i.e., they must
20 be understood and used, so each referenced document is cited in text and its relationship to this document is
21 explained). For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of
22 the referenced document (including any amendments or corrigenda) applies.
23 IEEE Std 80, IEEE Guide for Safety in AC Substation Grounding
24 IEEE Std 81, IEEE Guide for Measuring Earth Resistivity, Ground Impedance, and Earth Surface
25 Potentials of a Grounding System
1
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1 3. Definitions
2 For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply. The IEEE Standards
3 Dictionary Online should be consulted for terms not defined in this clause. 1
4 collector system: All cables, underground cables, and/or overhead lines and switchgear from solar inverter
5 and step-up transformer sites to the SPP interconnect substation. The total number of AC collector system
6 circuits is driven by the size of the substation transformer.
7 functionally grounded: A PV system that has an electrical reference to ground that is not solidly
8 grounded.
9 personnel protection: Establishment of a grounding system capable of meeting touch and step voltage
10 compliance within the SPP under fault conditions within the context of IEEE Std 80.
11 point of interconnection (POI): The location where the generation facility (SPP) connects to the
12 transmission or distribution systems.
13 solar power plant (SPP): A group of electrically interconnected solar photovoltaic panels having one or
14 more points of interconnection to the utility electric system.
15 split factor: A factor representing the portion of the remotely-sourced symmetrical ground fault current
16 that flows through the grounding system and earth compared to the total current.
17 SPP grounding system: The combination of all below-grade grounded objects within the SPP, including
18 the interconnection of grounding through above-grade SPP structures. This may or may not include the
19 interconnect substation, depending if this substation is within the SPP or not.
20 SPP: See: solar power plant.

21 traditional power plants: Referring to those power plants that convert the chemical energy of a fuel into
22 electrical energy (e.g. coal fired, gas fired, oil fired, etc.).
23 utility-scale SPP: A SPP sized at 5 MW or greater.
24 4. Description of SPP and SPP grounding systems

25 Solar power plants consist of a number of photovoltaic (PV) panels which produce DC power, which are
26 then interconnected to a common DC collection point. The DC power is inverted to AC power at low
27 voltage, and then transformed to medium voltage (commonly 11-35 kV) through an adjacent generator
28 step-up (GSU) transformer (commonly 1-2 MVA). A typical design may have one or two inverters collect
29 on the order of 1 MVA of solar generation each and connect to a step-up transformer at a collection point
30 within the block of generation. The AC power is collected through an AC collector system of medium
31 voltage cables, typically combining the output of multiple transformers, sometimes through medium
32 voltage switchgear. A simplified one-line of a sample portion of a SPP is shown in Figure 1. The AC
33 collection system is then connected to the electric utility at a point-of-interconnection. Larger plants may
34 have an independent interconnection substation, which may or may not be part of the SPP grounding
35 system.
1
IEEE Standards Dictionary Online is available at: http://dictionary.ieee.org
2
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2 Figure 1 —Sample SPP partial single line diagram

3 The DC and AC sides of the SPP system are often galvanically isolated. When DC system grounding is
4 required, the DC and AC grounding systems are oftenmay be bonded or may be functionally grounded.
5 Where applicable, the NEC indicates that the DC system-grounding connection be made at a single point in
6 the DC circuit [B5]. In grounded PV systems, this system-grounding connection is made via an inverter’s
7 internal ground-fault-protection device. Upon operation of this ground-fault-protection device, the DC
8 system ground reference may be removed.
9 The SPP grounding system consists of the below-grade grounding material (typically bare copper or
10 copper-clad steel conductor and grounding electrodes), as well as interconnected above-grade metallic
11 objects, such as equipment frames and support posts. These objects affect the grounding system
12 performance when they are bonded to the below-grade grounding system or extend below grade.
13 A typical design utilizes minimal below-grade grounding, typically just enough to provide bonding
14 between each block of generation, connecting the individual step-up transformers. The inverter/transformer
15 may utilize an additional loop of grounding conductor around this equipment. Grounds to the remainder of
16 the plant equipment (PV panels, support frames, etc.) are often provided by bonding one point of a row of
17 panels to the grounding system at one end. Some designs also continue a run of grounding along the row of
18 panels either above or below grade.
19 The size of a typical SPP makes it impractical to install a grounding mesh sufficiently dense to maintain a
20 near-equipotential plane across the entire facility, or to install crushed rock surfacing throughout the entire
21 facility. The large open areas generally require less grounding (similar to traditional power plant design),
22 but it is imperative to pay attention to step and touch voltages in the vicinity of all exposed conductive
23 equipment. A design model that can account for this wide variation in grounding system characteristics
24 and requirements is necessary to design a grounding system that adequately protect personnel without
25 being prohibitively costly.
26 4.1 Differences among SPP, traditional power plants and substations
27 While there are some similarities between SPP grounding systems and traditional power plants and
28 substations, there are more significant differences. Utility-scale SPP grounding systems can often extend
29 over hundreds or thousands of acres where substations and traditional plants are typically much smaller.
3
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1 The general practice in a substation or plant grounding design is to produce a near-equipotential plane
2 through the facility, or at least around grounded equipment. Using a relatively dense mesh, this is achieved
3 to an acceptable level as determined by examining mesh, touch, and step voltages within the grounding
4 system area.
5 Substations are small enough that grid spacing on the order of 5 to 15 meters (15 to 50 feet) is typical and
6 presents a reasonable expense for the project. Similarly, applying an insulating surface layer around
7 equipment and throughout the station is common practice. Since the total area is relatively small, analysis
8 can be performed by most grounding software packages, and in some instances hand calculations, to
9 provide acceptable results with relative ease.
10 Traditional power plants often have large rebar-reinforced concrete foundations or buildings that equalize
11 the voltages in the vicinity of major equipment. Auxiliary equipment is grounded in similar fashion as in a
12 substation environment, and the power plant is typically connected to a substation that follows typical
13 substation grounding design. Many traditional plants have large areas where there is no equipment to touch
14 which allows for less grounding in some areas. While power plants are often larger than substations, the
15 grounding design and analysis is usually not significantly more difficult and can be handled readily by
16 software.
17 Due to the larger size of SPPs, it is usually not practical to install an insulating crushed rock surfacing layer
18 throughout the entire facility, nor is it practical to install a dense grounding mesh. These two omissions
19 have an additive effect on personnel protection implications: the lack of crushed rock can significantly
20 reduce allowable touch and step voltage limits, and the lack of dense grid results in higher step and touch
21 voltages.
22 4.2 Challenges with design and analysis
23 The cost of a large utility-scale SPP grounding system can often reach into the millions of dollars in
24 materials alone. Unlike a substation grounding design, where some overdesign may be acceptable from a
25 cost standpoint, even a small percentage of overdesign in a SPP can introduce significant cost. Thus, there
26 is incentive to perform an accurate analysis and design that provides IEEE Std 80 compliant personnel
27 protection while reducing unnecessary design margin costs.
28 The size of utility-scale SPPs cause modeling difficulties as well. Hand calculation methods are insufficient
29 due to the assumptions they require, particularly the exclusion of internal grounding conductor resistance
30 that becomes significant over large distances. Many software programs have limitations as well, including
31 soil structure type or, maximum number of conductors, or not accounting for conductor self and mutual-
32 impedance. Even the most advanced grounding software packages cannot accommodate the largest utility-
33 scale PV SPPs without some sort of compromise. Complex techniques, which require a detailed
34 understanding of the problem and the modeling software, often have to be used to obtain reasonable and
35 accurate results with partial, limited, or approximate models.
36 4.3 Auxiliary systems (equipment frames) for grounding
37 As noted above, SPP grounding design often makes use of auxiliary systems (such as cable trays, PV
38 frames, support posts, etc.) as part of the grounding system. These auxiliary systems are primarily above
39 grade, and in most cases they provide electrically-continuous paths for current to distribute through the
40 SPP. However, there are caveats to be aware of when the grounding system is dependent on these auxiliary
41 systems.
42 For instance, the path needs to be truly electrically continuous across any joints and connections; full
43 compliance with UL 2703 [B6] and 3703 [B7] is one way to provide confidence in this continuity. If the
4
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1 support posts are covered with a corrosion prevention coating, embedded in high resistivity (gravel)
2 backfill, or otherwise not in solid electrical contact with native soil, their benefit may be reduced or
3 eliminated. These effects can be properly accounted for if modeled and analyzed properly.
4 Similarly, the electric resistivity of steel is higher than that of copper, potentially resulting in greater
5 voltage drop along the line of panels. There may also be concerns regarding galvanic corrosion between
6 dissimilar metals when connecting grounding conductor to the equipment frames. Where the National
7 Electrical Safety Code (NESC) is applicable, there are a variety of requirements for these auxiliary
8 grounding electrodes including materials, size, etc. [B2].
9 4.4 Fence grounding
10 Where the NESC is applicable, metal fences surrounding a SPP may require grounding as of the
11 publication of this document [B2]. From a technical standpoint, additional fence grounding may not be
12 necessary if the fence posts are metallic and bonded to any fence mesh material. However, analysis of
13 touch voltages on the fence is required to confirm compliance with the practices of IEEE Std 80.
14 It is not uncommon to have fence-plant separation of 6 meters (20 feet) or more if there is a perimeter road,
15 which significantly decreases the conductive coupling between the fence and faulted equipment. Bonding
16 the fence causes the fault voltages to be transferred onto the fence, which in many cases would require a
17 significant amount of additional grounding and/or surfacing along the site fence.
18 A more practical option is to analyze the site’s metal fence(s) with faults at various locations near the
19 perimeter of the SPP grounding system. If the analysis indicates that touch or step voltage limits are
20 exceeded along portions of the site fence, additional localized fence grounding and/or crushed rock
21 surfacing may be placed in those specific areas.
22 When fences are parallel to or crossing under transmission lines, magnetic and capacitive induction can
23 also pose a concern, although this effect may be substantially smaller than the conductive component from
24 a fault scenario. These aspects can be considered on a case-by-case basis.
25 4.5 Personnel protection in SPP
26 An SPP grounding system serves the same function as a traditional grounding system. This includes
27 limiting touch and step voltages to the limits determined in IEEE Std 80. Under fault conditions, personnel
28 protection is examined for the following:
29 Touch voltages on all equipment within the SPP fence electrically connected to the SPP grounding
30 system
31 Touch voltages on the SPP and any connected fence, possibly due to transfer voltage
32 Touch voltages on other grounded objects in the vicinity of the SPP that may be affected by
33 transfer voltage from the SPP grounding system, as required
34 Step voltages throughout and just beyond the entire area within the SPP and SPP grounding system
5
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1 5. Design and analysis approach

2 The following sections discuss a useful design approach, with significant references to IEEE Std 80. The
3 goal of this section is to identify differences in design and analysis compared to a substation environment,
4 allowing a user familiar with substation grounding design to understand additional considerations for large
5 SPPs.
6 5.1 Soil
7 Because of the size of SPPs, the soil generally cannot be considered consistent across larger sites, and
8 merits more extensive testing and modeling than substation or traditional power plants. Testing is typically
9 performed at a variety of locations with soil models developed for specific areas to capture local
10 differences in the soil characteristics throughout the SPP.
11 5.1.1 Soil resistivity testing
12 To get sufficient information to perform the analyses of the grounding system, it is necessary to collect a
13 significant amount of soil resistivity data throughout the SPP prior to construction. Ideally this includes a
14 combination of a large number of shorter traverses and a few very long traverses of soil resistivity. The
15 long traverses of soil resistivity are used to characterize the lower layer(s) of soil. Generally, the bottom
16 layer remains constant across the entire site and can significantly influence the overall grounding system
17 impedance.
18 Short traverses should consist of measurements from small spacings (around 0.5 meters or less) up to
19 maximum spacings of at least 30 meters (100 feet). For some SPP sites where significant variation of
20 resistivity with depth is expected, these tests may need to be extended to a maximum spacing upwards of
21 75 meters (250 feet). Typically these shorter traverses should be made in a grid across the site with
22 separations between center points on the order of 500 meters (one quarter- to one half-mile) [B3]. Short
23 traverses can be used to develop upper layer soil models for each location where the data was gathered.
24 Longer traverses are critical for the accurate characterization and analysis of any large grounding system
25 [B4]. Ideally the maximum spacing of the soil resistivity test would equal the largest SPP diagonal
26 dimension; however, this is not practical for larger SPP sites. At a minimumFor larger plants, the largest
27 spacings for the longer traverses may need to be around 300 meters (1,000 feet) in order to get a few probe
28 spacings measuring this deepest layer [B3]. If measured apparent resistivities have not stabilized with little
29 change over increasing probe spacings, the traverses should be extended until the resistivities do level out.
30 In large plants it is advisable for multiple long traverses to be performed in varying areas within the plant to
31 improve accuracy of the SPP soil model.
32 5.1.2 Soil model development
33 Each traverse of soil resistivity data measured should be analyzed separately. The shorter traverses in a
34 given area are used to represent the upper layers of local soil. The nearest longer traverse(s) of soil
35 resistivity data provides data on the deeper layers of soil. For smaller plants, the bottom layer of soil often
36 is the same for the entire SPP. Some very large SPPs may require the use of different values for the lower
37 layer(s) of soil resistivity.
38 Utilizing the data from the short and long traverse models for a given site, an overall soil model for a given
39 area of analysis can be developed. Table 1 shows an example of combining a short traverse (with two
40 layers of soil detected) and a long traverse (three layers of soil detected due to the larger probe spacings).
41 The resistivity of the upper and middle layers is based on the short traverse, and the resistivity of the
6
APPROVED DRAFT
1 bottom layer uses the long traverse. For depths, the top layer(s) utilize the depths known from the short
2 traverse. Selecting the depth of the next to bottom layer is the most difficult aspect if there is not a direct
3 correlation between the middle layer resistivities. One approach is to place the bottom layer at the same
4 total depth as measured in the long traverse (35 meters in this example).
5 Table 1 —Sample soil model development

Soil Resistivity and Thickness
Short Traverse (Local)

Long Traverse (Nearby) Combined Local Model
(Tested to 30 m)
Top Layer 50 ohm-m for 2 m 30 ohm-m for 4 m 50 ohm-m for 2 m
Second 120 ohm-m (bottom 100 ohm-m for 31 m 120 ohm-m for 33 m
(Middle) measured with shorter (cumulative depth 35 m) (cumulative depth 35 m)
Layer traverse)
Third 65 ohm-m 65 ohm-m

(Bottom)
Layer
6
7 Utilizing this methodology, a soil model can be developed for each region where a short traverse of soil
8 resistivity was measured. These various models then can be considered for analysis as discussed in 5.4.
9 5.2 Fault data
10 Fault data for an SPP grounding analysis is not significantly different than is needed for other facilities, but
11 there some aspects where the differences in a SPP that need to be considered.
12 5.2.1 Fault data required
13 Faults on the low-voltage AC system can be high in current magnitude, but the ground potential rise is
14 limited by the system line-to-ground voltage. If transformer is grounded, the current will primarily circulate
15 within the local metallic paths; if it is ungrounded, it is essentially zero. Additionally, the area of exposure
16 is limited (between the GSU transformer and adjacent inverter). Thus, faults at the high-voltage or medium-
17 voltage system generally produce the worst-case scenario for personnel protection.
18 Data can be collected as discussed in IEEE Std 80, including magnitudes, X/R ratios, and maximum
19 clearing times for the HV and MV systems, preferably separating contributions from the interconnecting
20 utility and the plant where possible. For the MV case, fault data at a large variety of locations throughout
21 the SPP is required.
22 5.2.2 Fault current split considerations
23 If a split factor analysis is performed, care needs to be taken to perform a detailed analysis versus using the
24 simplified methods such as the pre-calculated values or curves in IEEE Std 80-2013 Annex C. A detailed
25 sketch illustrating the zero-sequence paths for each fault type and location aids in understanding the split
26 factor calculation, as the split factor will be different for an HV fault versus an MV fault. The methodology
7
APPROVED DRAFT
1 in IEEE Std 80 assumes that all lines exist and are sourced from outside of the grounding system (i.e.
2 outside the SPP). Therefore collector circuits cannot be considered using the IEEE Std 80 methods but can
3 be included in detailed grounding system models.
4 Split factors associated with the remotely sourced currents for SPPs are generally high, often around 90%,
5 due to the low grounding system impedance of the plant and mutual coupling of ground conductors. For
6 smaller plants in very high resistivity soil, this value can be lower for faults near the interconnect
7 substation. For faults further away from the substation, the benefits of determining the fault current split
8 factor are generally minimal as the impedance of the grounding conductor to the transmission lines can
9 often exceed the impedance of the transmission line ground network. Therefore, a split factor is often not
10 considered, but may be if beneficial.
11 Faults within the plant that are closer to or at the collector or interconnect substation may benefit to some
12 extent from the additional path that the shield wires on the transmission lines provide. The most accurate
13 way to consider the effects is to include a simplified model of the shield wires and structure grounds in the
14 model, as discussed in 5.4. Simply using an IEEE Std 80 derived split factor neglects the impedance of
15 ground conductors between the fault location and the shield wire terminations. This value can reach several
16 ohms in portions of a SPP further away from the substation.
17 Additionally, some of the current (particularly locally sourced ground fault currents within the plant)
18 returns to local zero-sequence sources through conductor neutrals, as discussed in 5.2.3.
19 5.2.3 Determination of worst-case fault current(s)
20 Often the interconnect substation has three-winding transformers with a delta tertiary or be delta-connected
21 on the high side and wye-grounded on the SPP side. This delta acts as a zero-sequence ground fault source
22 for faults within the plant; however, it may not result in a significant ground potential rise (GPR) and thus
23 may not significantly affect touch and step voltages. Where software allows, modeling the correct return
24 path for the delta contribution(s) (which primarily circulates in the grounding system) assists in reducing
25 overdesign while maintaining analysis accuracy. This value cannot just be subtracted out and produce an
26 accurate result. If the interconnect substation is electrically connected to the SPP grounding system, faults
27 on the high-voltage side of the transformer should be considered as the GPR will have an impact on the
28 SPP grounding system and may result in the highest touch and step voltages near the substation within the
29 SPP.
30 Considering the local generation from the PV arrays, as controlled by the inverter, may also improve the
31 accuracy of the GPR calculations; however modeling this aspect is much more difficult due to the wide
32 distribution of sources. The system configuration may be such that there is no ground current contribution
33 from the PV generation, but if there is, an improvement in accuracy may be achieved by modeling lumped
34 current return paths at each GSU location.
35 If protection is based on time overcurrent elements, clearing time varies with varying fault currents. As
36 such, selecting a single worst-case fault current may be difficult, and analyzing multiple faults is likely
37 required.
38 5.2.4 Fault locations to use for analysis
39 Analysis should be performed at a reasonable sampling of line-to-ground fault locations throughout the
40 SPP and at the interconnect substation if the grounding system is attached. The specific number of sites
41 depends on the size of plant and variation of fault currents through the site. Typically, a short circuit model
42 is developed for the site, often modeling to each GSU location. This allows for realistic fault values to be
43 used for each location analyzed, accounting for the fact that values are often significantly lower far away
44 from the main collector substation. A subset of locations may be used as discussed in 5.4.
8
APPROVED DRAFT
1 5.3 SPP grounding design
2 SPPs are large systems that require an optimized reduced design to reduce costs while providing a
3 grounding system that is sufficient. The use of software is often a requirement to validate the performance
4 of a grounding system for a large SPP. Even using software, complete modeling of the entire system can be
5 difficult. The following sections discuss an approach to design a grounding system and perform this
6 analysis.
7 5.3.1 General design approach
8 To keep costs down, a minimalistic grounding system that also provides personnel protection is desired for
9 the SPP. A common design consists of an interconnected grounding system with very large grid spacing (in
10 excess of 100 meters (350 feet)) [B3]. The spacing often is determined in order to surround each 1-4 MW
11 block of PV generation. This could result in a design similar to that shown in Figure 2, which shows the
12 large spacing (around 150 meters) of the SPP grid and a connection to the interconnection substation at the
13 bottom with a much denser grid. The small loop near each corner represents the loop around the step-up
14 transformer and inverter equipment. The site fence is shown in red.
15
16 Figure 2 —Sample primary grounding grid layout
17 The grid conductor can be placed perpendicular to each line of PV panels and run along one end of the
18 lines, connecting to each line. The far end typically does not require a separate conductor but may be
19 necessary in some conditions due to voltage drop along the equipment frames. In some cases, the grid may
20 be reduced to just enough conductor to connect the inverter loops together and back to the substation.
21 An example of this is shown in Figure 3 where the black lines are the main grounding system (grid) and the
22 red lines are the auxiliary grounding systems (steel supports and posts in solid contact with native soil).
23 Alternate designs may use a single run of conductor shared between blocks and connected across the open
24 area between the blocks to tie to each row of PV panels.
9
APPROVED DRAFT
1
2 Figure 3 —Sample grounding of PV arrays
3 5.3.2 Grounding along rows of panels
4 In some cases, plant designers use a below-grade or an above-ground copper conductor run in the DC cable
5 tray along the line of panels as part of the grounding system. This approach can help provide a continuous
6 low resistance grounding path along the rows of panels; however this approach is often unnecessary from a
7 personnel protectiontouch and step volage standpoint assuming that the path along the line of panels is
8 electrically continuous. The addition or removal of the additional copper conductor should be considered
9 primarily based on the analysis and design. If a separate copper conductor is not utilized, it is imperative
10 that the design provides the electrical continuity of the above grade structures.
11 5.3.3 Use of ground rods
12 The use of ground rods generally provides little benefit in an extremely large grounding system except to
13 provide some local reduction of touch voltages (including locations such as fence corners or gates), or
14 where a shallow high resistivity layer exists such that the main grounding system is not in lower resistivity
15 soil, but ground rods could reach into the lower layer. The steel support posts also provide a similar benefit
16 if deep enough and bonded into the grounding system. By examining the soil structure, hundreds or
17 thousands of unnecessary ground rods may be avoided. In some cases, using a large number of ground rods
18 in certain areas may increase fault current flow to that area, raising voltages nearby.
19 5.3.4 Application of insulating surfacing material
20 Crushed rock insulating surfacing is often not required as part of a SPP design. If some areas (such as
21 portions of the site fence or gates) do require surfacing, it should be placed in the minimally required areas.
22 Additionally, the cost of additional copper for small areas may be balanced against the cost of installation
23 and maintenance of rock.
10
APPROVED DRAFT
1 5.3.5 Consideration of footwear
2 The resistance of shoes, particularly safety shoes can have a significant effect on the step and touch
3 voltages presented under fault conditions. The consideration of some form of footwear inside a controlled
4 PV SPP or the use of specialized (electrical rated shoes) may be considered if their use is required by the
5 owner and mitigation through traditional design is impractical. Additional discussion is included in 5.4.4.
6 5.4 Modeling and analysis
7 5.4.1 Limitations of traditional methods
8 The use of software is required for analysis of a utility-scale SPP. The traditional calculation methods
9 presented in IEEE Std 80 and other sources assume that a grounding system can be represented as a solid
10 disk with no significant impedance between the grounding in portions of the grid. Due to the large spacing
11 of most SPP grids, the resistance of the conductor from one portion of the plant to another can greatly
12 exceed the resistance to remote earth, which often is in the tenths of an ohm or less.
13 5.4.2 Regional analysis
14 Even when using the software it is typically impractical to model the entire grounding system and auxiliary
15 grounding systems (arrays, supports, posts, etc.). One general approach is to model the overall main below-
16 grade grounding system through the SPP, and then analyze specific portions of the system in regions with
17 more detail by including the portion of the auxiliary grounding system in that local area. Historically this
18 has not been a common approach for traditional power plant grounding analysis, but it becomes necessary
19 for many large-scale plants to reduce overdesign that would occur if the auxiliary grounding systems were
20 entirely neglected.
21 Generally this approach involves modeling an electrical equivalent of the auxiliary grounding systems by
22 including steel supports or posts that are in solid electrical contact with the earth, along with above grade
23 interconnections between those elements that are insulated from earthinsulating above grade portions and
24 ensuring both above and below grade portions (supports and posts) are modeled with accurate
25 characteristics. This helps reduce the resistance of the grounding system as well as helping smooth out
26 touch and step voltages in the areas where the full auxiliary system is modeled. Modeling the auxiliary
27 grounding that is near the point of the fault (for example: a GSU or collector switchgear location) while
28 ignoring the remainder of the auxiliary systems provides slightly conservative, but reasonably accurate,
29 performance of the grounding system in the area [B4]. While including the remainder of the auxiliary
30 grounding systems that are not modeled would provide some benefit, the reduction in overall system
31 impedance is so minimal that the time to perform the additional modeling is not justified.
32 A sample setup is shown in Figure 4, demonstrating the auxiliary grounding systems modeled around the
33 GSU location of interest (for example, the one to the lower left of the figure) and neglected in areas further
34 away. The green (shaded) areas represent the detailed auxiliary grounding systems model including the
35 array supports and posts (as in Figure 3), the black portions are again the overall grounding system, and the
36 exterior red line represents the facility fence. Analysis in a given scenario would be performed over the
37 area with the detailed auxiliary grounding system modeled, as well as on the adjacent fence.
11
APPROVED DRAFT
1
2 Figure 4 — Example of limited modeling in the area of analysis
3 Similar to the challenges of the time for detailed modeling, software limitations usually prevent modeling
4 of the complete auxiliary grounding system beyond the immediate area under analysis. Including the local
5 details, however, generally results in a significant reduction in the amount of ground grid that is required.
6 Sensitivity studies have shown that not modeling any auxiliary grounding would have resulted in grid
7 spacing about three times as dense on several large-scale projects, using nine times the grounding material
8 for a compliant design [B3].
9 Additionally, a hybrid method may be utilized to significantly reduce computation time by equating a block
10 of solar panels to an equivalent ground rod. The resistance of the assembly of arrays within one block can
11 be calculated in a given soil model. This value needs to include the mutual resistance between ground
12 conductors which can be a significant contributor to the overall resistance of an equivalent. A ground rod
13 length can be determined to match this resistance and installed in the model in place of the detailed array
14 shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4. If the arrays and posts are necessary to demonstrate touch voltage
15 compliance, they can still be modeled in detail in the specific areas under analysis.
16 5.4.3 Interconnection substation and effect of split factor
17 The interconnection substation grounding system design is outside the scope of this guide and would be
18 designed based on IEEE Std 80. However, including this grounding system in the SPP model improves
19 performance if directly connected to the SPP grounding system, in part due to the ability to consider split
20 factor provided by the transmission lines, particularly for transmission system voltage faults.
21 As noted in 5.2.2, using the IEEE Std 80-2013 Annex C approaches to determining a split factor is
22 insufficient for faults within a SPP. These methods neglect the impedance of grounding system conductors
23 between the point of fault and the termination of the transmission lines. In a SPP, due to the limited number
24 of ground conductors, this value can reach several ohms, particularly for faults far from the interconnect
25 substation. A good approach to appropriately determine the effect of the transmission lines on the split
26 factor is to model a simplified version of the lines. This model would include the shield wires as insulated
27 conductors with the appropriate impedance connected to an equivalent of the structure grounding system
28 (e.g. a ground rod). These simplified lines can be modeled for a few kilometers (miles) from the substation.
12
APPROVED DRAFT
1 Once beyond this distance, additional structure grounds have relatively limited impact due to the
2 accumulated resistance of the shield wires.
3 If the interconnect substation is electrically connected to the SPP grounding system, faults on the high-
4 voltage side of the transformer should be considered as the GPR will have an impact on the SPP grounding
5 system and may result in the highest touch and step voltages near the substation within the SPP.
6 5.4.4 Compliance limits
7 Because crushed rock surfacing material is often not added across the site, compliance limits for touch and
8 step voltages are often based on native soil surfacing. If insulating surfacing is installed at least one meter
9 (three feet) beyond all metallic equipment, it can be considered for touch voltage limits on that equipment,
10 as described in IEEE Std 80.
11 IEEE Std 80 typically considers no additional foot resistance (such as due to shoes/boots) which may be
12 unrealistic inside a SPP. Other than the area outside and adjacent to the site fence, the SPP should be only
13 accessible to qualified personnel. At the judgment of the plant owner/operator and designers, it may be
14 practical to consider the addition of shoe/boot resistance when determining touch and step voltage
15 compliance limits only inside the SPP. Common values used are in the range of 1,000-2,000 ohms (and
16 may be greater in many instances), adding significant margin to compliance limits [B1]. This value is
17 incorporated by increasing the foot impedance in the IEEE Std 80 compliance limit determination.
18 Consideration for workers in non-traditional configurations (such as kneeling, which is not a typical touch-
19 voltage consideration) can be considered when deciding whether or not incorporate footwear resistance.
20 Gloves with an electrical resistance rating can also be considered.
21 5.5 Post-construction testing
22 Testing of installed grounding systems for SPPs presents additional challenges. Integrity testing, as
23 presented in IEEE Std 81 is achievable, but it does not validate grounding system resistance like a ground
24 impedance test is intended to. However, grounding system impedance testing of large PV SPPs is simply
25 not practical in most instances as the test methodologies require running a test lead on the order of five
26 times the maximum dimension of the SPP away from the plant. This distance can reach into several
27 kilometers (miles) and requires generally clear land to be performed properly.
28 When it is practical to do a ground impedance test on smaller plants, it should be done in accordance with
29 IEEE Std 81 to the extent that is feasible.
30 If the collector or interconnect substations are completed before connection so the remainder of the SPP,
31 tests can still be performed for those substations while isolated from the SPP grounding system. Note that
32 even if disconnected, if the substation is within the SPP grounding system area and the SPP grounding is
33 partially or completely installed, the results of the testing is likely influenced by the SPP grounding.
34 By gathering sufficient soil resistivity data and performing accurate, detailed analysis, the need for post-
35 construction testing of the larger plants is reduced. Documenting the details of the soil testing, analysis, and
36 results mightcan provide a useful referencereassurance of an adequate design ifwhen post-construction
37 testing is desired yet innot feasible.
13
APPROVED DRAFT
1 Annex A
2 (informative)
3 Bibliography
4 Bibliographical references are resources that provide additional or helpful material but do not need to be
5 understood or used to implement this standard. Reference to these resources is made for informational use
6 only.
7 [B1] Godlewski, J.R., Purdy, G. T., and Blattner, C. J., “Electrical resistance of work shoes,” 1999 IEEE
8 Transmission and Distribution Conference, vol.2, pp. 523-525, April 1999.
9 [B2] IEEE Std C2, National Electric Safety Code® (NESC®).
10 [B3] Lewis, D. and Schaerer, R., “Large Utility-Scale Photovoltaic Solar Power Plant Grounding System
11 Safety Design – General Practices and Guidance,” 2015 IEEE PES General Meeting, Denver, CO, pp. 1-5,
12 July 2015.
13 [B4] Ma, J. and Dawalibi, F.P., “Grounding Analysis of a Solar Power Generation Facility,” 2010 Asia-
14 Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference (APPEEC), pp. 1-4, March 2010.
15 [B5] NFPA 70, National Electric Code (NEC), National Fire Protection Agency.
16 [B6] UL 2703, Standard for Mounting Systems, Mounting Devices, Clamping/Retention Devices, and
17 Ground Lugs for Use with Flat-Plate Photovoltaic Modules and Panels, UL LLC.
18 [B7] UL 3703, Standard for Solar Trackers, UL LLC.
14

IEEE P2778-D4 (2019) - Draft Guide For Solar Power Plant Grounding For Personnel Protection

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Copyright © 2019 by The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.

PDF: ISBN 978-0-XXXX-XXXX-X STDXXXXX

IEEE prohibits discrimination, harassment, and bullying.

1 Important Notices and Disclaimers Concerning IEEE Standards Documents

6 Notice and Disclaimer of Liability Concerning the Use of IEEE Standards

24 Secretary, IEEE-SA Standards Board

27 Laws and regulations

8 Updating of IEEE Standards documents

4 Loren Powers, Chair

25 [To be supplied by IEEE]

26 Balloter1 29 Balloter4 32 Balloter7

38 [To be supplied by IEEE]

43 SBMember1 46 SBMember4 49 SBMember7

7 4. Description of SPP and SPP grounding systems ........................................................................................ 2

13 5. Design and analysis approach....................................................................................................................65

19 Annex A (informative) Bibliography ............................................................................................................14

1 Draft Guide for Solar Power Plant

23 IEEE Std 80, IEEE Guide for Safety in AC Substation Grounding

20 SPP: See: solar power plant.

23 utility-scale SPP: A SPP sized at 5 MW or greater.

24 4. Description of SPP and SPP grounding systems

2 Figure 1 —Sample SPP partial single line diagram

26 4.1 Differences among SPP, traditional power plants and substations

22 4.2 Challenges with design and analysis

36 4.3 Auxiliary systems (equipment frames) for grounding

9 4.4 Fence grounding

25 4.5 Personnel protection in SPP

1 5. Design and analysis approach

11 5.1.1 Soil resistivity testing

32 5.1.2 Soil model development

5 Table 1 —Sample soil model development

Short Traverse (Local)

Top Layer 50 ohm-m for 2 m 30 ohm-m for 4 m 50 ohm-m for 2 m

Third 65 ohm-m 65 ohm-m

9 5.2 Fault data

12 5.2.1 Fault data required

22 5.2.2 Fault current split considerations

19 5.2.3 Determination of worst-case fault current(s)

38 5.2.4 Fault locations to use for analysis

1 5.3 SPP grounding design

7 5.3.1 General design approach

3 5.3.2 Grounding along rows of panels

11 5.3.3 Use of ground rods

19 5.3.4 Application of insulating surfacing material

1 5.3.5 Consideration of footwear

6 5.4 Modeling and analysis

7 5.4.1 Limitations of traditional methods

13 5.4.2 Regional analysis

16 5.4.3 Interconnection substation and effect of split factor

6 5.4.4 Compliance limits

21 5.5 Post-construction testing

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