USAID

a) Power stations (generating station) 0.5 ohms

b) EHT Sub-station 1.0 ohms
c) 33 KV Stations 2.0 ohms
d) D/t Structure 5.0 ohms
e) Tower Foot resistance 10.0 ohms
IEEE STANDARD 142
Chapter: 4.1.3 , page 164
For industrial plant substations and
buildings and large commercial 1Ω to 5 Ω
installations.
Resistances of less than 1 ohm may be obtained using
a number of individual electrodes connected together.
Such a low resistance is only required for large
substations, transmission lines, or generating stations.
National Electric code (NEC) 2011, (IS SP30
Chapter 14 -India)
Chapter: 3.0.9
unless otherwise specified ,It is
recommended that the value of any earth 5Ω
system resistance shall not be more than
IS 3043 (India)
Chapter: 22.2.3
The continuity resistance of the earth
return path through the earth grid should
be maintained as low as possible and in no 1Ω
case greater than
This applicable for main earth grid connected with the
transformer/return path
Oil Industry Safety Directorate Government of
India (OISD STANDARD – 137)
Chapter: (7. ii. b) Allowable earth-Resistance
Values
Allowable earth-Resistance Values The resistance
value of an earthing system to general mass of the
earth should not exceed.
For electrical systems and metallic
structures. 4Ω
For storage tanks. 7Ω
for main earth grid, and bonding
connections between joints in pipelines 1Ω
and associated facilities.
for each electrode to the general mass of
the earth 2Ω

IS 2309 (india) / BS 7430:1998

Clause:12.3.1 Page 32,Resistance to Earth
Lightning arrestors ground resistance for 
Protection of buildings and allied 10Ω
structures is
An earth electrode should be connected to each down
conductor. Each of these earths should have a
resistance not exceeding the product given by 10 a
multiplied by the number of earth electrodes to be
provided.
The whole of the lightning protective system,
including any ring earth, should have a combined
resistance to earth not exceeding 10 Ω without taking
account of any bonding.
If the value obtained for the whole of the lightning
protective systems exceeds 10 Ω, a reduction can be
achieved by extending or adding to the electrodes or
by interconnecting the individual earth terminations of
the down conductors by a conductor installed below
ground, sometimes referred to as a ring conductor
IS 2689:1989
Table 4 page 28 (Reaffirmed March 2010)
Lightning arrestors ground resistance for
Protection  of buildings and allied 10Ω
structures is
NEC 250.56
Clause: 250.53 Grounding Electrode System
Installation.
The maximum resistance for a single
electrode consisting of a rod, pipe, or 25Ω
plate.
If a higher resistance is obtained for a single electrode,
a second electrode of any of the types specified in the
NEC is required.
This should not be interpreted to mean that 25 ohm is a
satisfactory resistance value for a grounding system.
 IEEE Std 80-2000 (Revision of IEEE Std 80-1986)
the evaluation of ground resistance for the
most transmission and other large
substations, the ground resistance is 1Ω or less
usually about
In smaller distribution substations, the
usually acceptable range is 1Ω to 5Ω

NFC 17-102, July 1995

that the resistance value measured using
conventional equipment should be 1Ω or less
This resistance should be measured on the earthing
termination insulated from any other conductive
component.
IEC 62305-1
edition 2.0 – 2010-12
the conventional earthing impedance
related to the earth termination system is
(*for the soil resistivity less than or equal 4Ω
to 100 Ω)
Ministry of Railways- Government of India
 
The acceptable Earth Resistance at earth
MEEB bus bar shall not be more than 1Ω
For achieving this value more than one earth pits can
be installed if necessary depending upon the soil
resistivity. In places where space is not available to
provide parallel earth pits then longer earth rods may
be provided.
The longer earth rods thus provided should be in
multiples of three meters.
The combined resistance of the earthing system shall
be not more than the following values
Traction substation 0.5Ω
Switching station 2Ω
Booster transformer station 10Ω
Auxiliary transformer station 10Ω
Maximum values of earth resistances specified for
earthing of Signaling and Telecommunication
equipment’s are as under
Telegraph and Block Instrument using
earth return circuit 10 Ω
Earths for surge arrestors/ lightening
dischargers 10Ω
Earthing of Signalling equipment 10Ω
Earthing of signalling cable screen in AC
electrified areas 10Ω
Earthing of Telephone Exchange 5Ω
Earthing of aluminum sheathed telecom
cable in AC electrified area 1Ω
Earthing of equipment in VF repeater
stations and cable huts. 5Ω
Axle counter cable screened in AC
electrified area 1Ω
Electronic Interlocking installation 1Ω
Integrated Power Supply System & its
individual modules 2Ω
Digital Axle Counter EJB and its
apparatus case connected to same earth 1Ω
All cable armors connected to same earth.
Reset box of Digital Axle Counter
connected to earth (indoor) near SM’s 1Ω
Room.
Railway Vikas Nigam Limited
RVNL/Elect/GS/11
The earth continuity test of metallic
envelopes shall be done for electrical
continuity. Electrical resistance of the
same, along with the earthing lead,
excluding any added resistance of earth 1Ω
leakage circuit breaker, measured from the
connection with the earth electrode to any
point in the earth conductor in the
completed installation, shall not exceed
No earth electrode shall have resistance
greater than 5Ω
In rocky soil, the resistance may be up to 8Ω
Locations having more than one electrode shall be
connected in parallel to reduce the resistance.
MANUAL OF STANDARDS &
SPECIFICATIONS FOR RAILWAY
ELECTRIFICATION
RDSO/SPN/197/2008
Equipment’s with solid state components
which are more susceptible to damage due
to surges, transients and over voltages
being encountered in the system due to
lightning, sub-station switching such as 1Ω
Electronic Interlocking, Integrated Power
supply equipment, Digital Axle counter,
Data logger etc. shall Value of earth
resistance shall not be more than
For conventional signaling equipment’s
the earth resistance shall not be more than 10Ω

DHASHIN HARYANA BIJALI VITRAN NIGAM

(DHBVN)
Specification no CSC-140 / DH/UH/P&D
Hose hold Earthing (3KA) <8Ω
Commercial / Industrial Buildings (5KA) <2Ω
Transformer / LT Line Earthing  (15KA) 1Ω to 2Ω
Transformer / Substation /HT Line ,HT
Switchgear (40KA) <1Ω
Lighting Arrester /Extra High Current
appliances (50KA) <1Ω
UPS / Data center / ATM <0.5 Ω
*Earthing may be Single or Multiple Electrode.
Earthing Value
Earthing Condition Earthing Value
Best 0.1Ω to 2Ω
Good 2.1Ω to 5Ω
Need to be Maintenance 5.1Ω to 10Ω
Need to be Replacement >10Ω