Document Number: EDS 06-0014F

Version: 5.0
Date: 20/03/2023

THIS IS AN UNCONTROLLED DOCUMENT, THE READER MUST CONFIRM ITS VALIDITY BEFORE USE
Earthing Design Report – Newtown 11kV Substation

Contents

1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1
2 Data .......................................................................................................................... 1
3 Soil Resistivity ......................................................................................................... 2
4 Ground Return Current ........................................................................................... 2
5 Earth Potential Rise (EPR) and HV Earth Resistance ........................................... 2
6 Earthing Arrangement ............................................................................................. 3
7 Network Contribution .............................................................................................. 3
8 EPR ........................................................................................................................... 3
9 Safety Voltages........................................................................................................ 3
10 Transfer Voltage ...................................................................................................... 4
11 Surface Current Density.......................................................................................... 4
12 LV Earth ................................................................................................................... 5
13 Site Classification.................................................................................................... 5
14 Earthing Installation ................................................................................................ 5
15 References ............................................................................................................... 5
Appendix A – Drawings ...................................................................................................... 6

1 Introduction
The project is to install a new 11kV substation to supply a new housing estate on the outskirts
of Newtown. The proposed substation is a standard GRP and uses the earthing arrangement
detailed in drawing EDS 07-3102-01 (Appendix A). The new substation will become the first
substation on circuit 07 of New Town Primary substation.

2 Data
The following data has been provided by UK Power Networks for the point of connection.

Source Substation Circuit Details

Name New Town Primary 3c 185mm2 XPLE 1200m
Circuit 07 3 x 1c 185mm2 XLPE 200m
Earth Fault Level 9550A
Neutral Earthing Solid
Earth Resistance 0.1Ω TOTAL 1400m
EPR 999V Secondary Substation
Classification HOT Earth Fault Level 4854A
Fault Clearance Time 1s Target Resistance for Combined HV/LV Earth 0.26Ω

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 Secondary Substation Earthing Design Example Document Number: EDS 06-0014F
Version: 5.0
Date: 20/03/2023

3 Soil Resistivity
The soil resistivity for the proposed location is estimated at 100Ωm from the earthing resistivity
maps.

4 Ground Return Current

The ground return current for a 3c 185mm2 XPLE cable is estimated at 32% (for the target
resistance value) using the C-factor method from EDS 06-0012 Appendix E.

𝐶𝐶
(𝑎𝑎 + 9𝐸𝐸)
𝐼𝐼gr =
��� 𝐶𝐶 𝑅𝑅 2 𝜌𝜌 0.1
+ AB � + 0.6 � � �
𝑎𝑎 + 9𝐸𝐸 l 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎

Circuit Type 1
Cable Type 3c 185mm2 XLPE
C Factor C 92
Cable Size a 185mm2
Cable Length l 1.4km
Voltage E 11kV
Source Earth Resistance RA 0.1Ω
End Earth Resistance RB 0.26Ω
Resistivity ρ 100Ω.m
Ground Return Current Igr 37%

5 Earth Potential Rise (EPR) and HV Earth Resistance

The HV earth resistance for a combined HV/LV earth and a COLD site has been calculated
as follows:

Total Fault Current (If) 4854A

Proportion of Current flowing through the Ground (%Igr) 37%
Ground Return Current (Igr = If x %Igr) 1796A
Maximum EPR for a combined HV/LV earth 466V*
Earth Resistance for a combined HV/LV earth (R = EPR / Igr) 0.26Ω
* Twice the touch voltage limit for a fault clearance time of 1s on soil.

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 Secondary Substation Earthing Design Example Document Number: EDS 06-0014F
Version: 5.0
Date: 20/03/2023

6 Earthing Arrangement
The substation uses the earthing arrangement detailed in EDS 07-3102-01.

This arrangement will have a resistance of 10Ω in 100Ωm soil (source: EDS 06-0012 v5 Table
A-2).

To supplement the substation earth 100m of bare conductor should be installed underneath
the HV cables which will provide a resistance of 3Ω in 100Ωm soil.

7 Network Contribution
The substation is being installed in an urban area with a significant HV and LV cable
distribution network. A conservative estimate of the combined contribution of the existing
interconnected network substations and PILC cable is 0.25Ω (Urban PILC cable network with
200m radius from EDS 06-0012 Table G-1).

8 EPR
The overall earth resistance and the associated EPR values are shown in Table 8-1.

Table 8-1 – Earth Resistance and EPR

Earth Overall Earth Ground Return EPR (V) Classification

Resistance (Ω) Current* (A)
Standalone Substation Earth (10Ω) 10 208 2078 HOT
Standalone Substation Earth (10Ω) + 2.3 733 1687 HOT
Additional Electrode (3Ω)
Standalone Substation Earth (10Ω) + 0.23 1807 416 COLD
Additional Electrode (3Ω) + Network
Contribution (0.25Ω)
* Ground return current recalculated for each resistance value using the approach in Section 4.

9 Safety Voltages
The touch and step voltages are shown in Table 9-1. All are within the permissible limits for a
concrete surface.

Table 9-1 – Safety Voltages

Safety Situation EPR EPR* Max Fault ENA TS 41-24 Compliance

Voltage (V) (%) Voltage (V) Clearance Issue 2 Limit on
Time (s) Concrete** (V)
Touch Before 12 202 1 298 Yes
Connection 1687
Step to Network 28 472 1 24083 Yes

Touch After 12 50 1 298 Yes

Connection 416
Step to Network 28 116 1 24083 Yes
*Source: EDS 06-0012 v6 Table A-3. ** Source: EDS 06-0012 v6 Table 5-1.

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 Secondary Substation Earthing Design Example Document Number: EDS 06-0014F
Version: 5.0
Date: 20/03/2023

10 Transfer Voltage
The source substation has a maximum EPR of 999V. As the new substation is the first on the
circuit, a conservative estimate of the transfer voltage has been calculated in accordance with
EDS 06-0012 Appendix I.
The transfer voltage is below the calculated EPR for the new substation hence the transfer
voltage will not affect the new substation.

Source Substation EPR (EPRSource) 999V

Cable Sheath Resistance per km (RCable) 0.381Ω/km
Cable Sheath Reactance per km (XCable) 0.646Ω/km
Circuit Length 1.4km
Circuit Resistance (RCircuit) 0.533Ω
Circuit Reactance (XCircuit) 0.904Ω
Secondary Substation Resistance (RB) 0.5Ω*
Primary Substation Resistance (RA) 0.1Ω
Transfer Voltage (EPRTransfer) 344V
* Includes conservative estimate of network contribution cable beyond substation - 0.64Ω
contribution from 500m PILC (2.3Ω // 0.64Ω = 0.5Ω).

11 Surface Current Density

The buried electrode surface current density was calculated in accordance with EDS 06-0012
Appendix H and the installed electrode satisfies the requirements.

Ground Return Current 773A

Soil Resistivity 100Ω.m
Fault Clearance Time 3s
Buried Copper Conductor
Conductor Length 116m
Conductor Size 70
Conductor Surface Area 3440424mm2
Buried Copper Earth Rods
Rod Length 1.2m
Rod Diameter 16mm
Number of Rods 4
Total Rod Length 4.8m
Rod Surface Area 241274mm2
Buried Earth Electrode
Total Conductor and Rod Surface Area 3681698mm2
Minimum Surface Area 1762594mm2
Installed Conductor and Rods Acceptable? Yes

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 Secondary Substation Earthing Design Example Document Number: EDS 06-0014F
Version: 5.0
Date: 20/03/2023

12 LV Earth
The HV and LV earths can be combined as the EPR of 416V is less than twice the touch
voltage limit (233V for a fault clearance time of 1s on soil).

13 Site Classification
The site can be classified as a COLD site as the EPR is less than 430V once connected to
the network. No further mitigation is required.

14 Earthing Installation
The earthing shall be installed in accordance with UK Power Networks drawing
EDS 07-3102-01 and shall include:

• 2.4m copper clad earth rods.

• A perimeter electrode of bare 25mm x 3mm copper tape or 70mm2 copper conductor at a
depth of 0.5m.
• A dedicated earth bar for all earthing connections.
• Two 70mm2 insulated copper conductors from the perimeter electrode to the earth bar,
connected adjacent to each other.
• Two 70mm2 insulated copper conductors from the reinforcing mesh (rebar) within the
substation plinth to the earth bar.
• Additional earth electrode of bare 70mm2 copper conductor laid underneath the HV cable
for a length of 100m and connected to the earth bar.
• All equipment bonding in accordance with ECS 06-0023.
• All connections to use approved methods in accordance with ECS 06-0023.

Refer to the Secondary Substation Earthing Construction Standard ECS 06-0023 for all other
requirements.

15 References
EDS 06-0014 Secondary Substation Earthing Design
ECS 06-0023 Secondary Substation Earthing Construction

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 Secondary Substation Earthing Design Example Document Number: EDS 06-0014F
Version: 5.0
Date: 20/03/2023

Appendix A – Drawings

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