Third-Party Guidance for Working Near National Grid Electricity Transmission Equipment 02
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Technical Guidance Note 287 Third-party guidance for working near National Grid Electricity Transmission equipment 02 Purpose and scope............................... 3 Risk of impact identification............................... 5 Contact National Grid........................................ 3 Risks or hazards to be aware of.............. 6 How to identify specific National Grid sites........ 3 Land and access............................................... 6 Plant protection................................................. 3 Electrical clearance from overhead lines............ 6 Emergencies...................................................... 3 Underground cables......................................... 7 Impressed voltage............................................ 7 Part 1 – Electricity Transmission Earth potential rise............................................ 8 infrastructure........................................ 4 Noise................................................................ 8 Overhead lines................................................... 4 Maintenance access......................................... 8 Underground cables.......................................... 4 Fires and firefighting.......................................... 9 Substations....................................................... 4 Excavations, piling or tunnelling........................ 9 Microshocks..................................................... 9 Part 2 – Statutory requirements for Specific development guidance............ 10 working near high-voltage electricity.... 4 Wind farms....................................................... 10 Electrical safety clearances................................ 4 Commercial and housing developments........... 10 Solar farms....................................................... 11 Part 3 – What National Grid will do for Asset protection agreements............... 12 you and your development.................... 5 Contact details..................................... 12 Provision of information........................ 5 Emergency situations........................................ 12 Drawings........................................................... 5 Routine enquiries.............................................. 12 Disclaimer National Grid Gas Transmission and National Grid Electricity Transmission or their agents, servants or contractors do not accept any liability for any losses arising under or in connection with this information. This limit on liability applies to all and any claims in contract, tort (including negligence), misrepresentation (excluding fraudulent misrepresentation), breach of statutory duty or otherwise. This limit on liability does not exclude or restrict liability where prohibited by the law, nor does it supersede the express terms of any related agreements. 03 Purpose and scope The purpose of this document is to give guidance and information to third parties who are proposing, scheduling or designing Contact National Grid developments close to National Grid Electricity Transmission assets. Plant protection For routine enquiries regarding planned, Emergencies The scope of the report covers information on scheduled or emergency works, contact In the event of occurrences basic safety and the location of our assets – the Plant Protection team online, by email, such as a cable strike, coming and also highlights key issues around particular post or phone. into contact with an overhead types of development and risk areas. line conductor or identifying any www.beforeyoudig.nationalgrid.com hazards or problems with In the case of electrical assets, National Grid National Grid’s equipment, Email: [email protected] does not authorise or agree safe systems phone our emergency number of work with developers and contractors. Phone: 0800 688 588 0800 404 090 (option 1). However, we will advise on issues such as electrical safety clearances and the location Write to: If you have apparatus within of towers and cables. We also work with National Grid Plant Protection 30m of a National Grid asset, developers to minimise the impact of any Brick Kiln Street please ensure that the emergency National Grid assets that are nearby. Hinckley number is included in your site’s Leicestershire emergency procedures. LE10 0NA How to identify specific National Grid sites Substations Overhead lines Consider safety The name of the The reference NATIONAL GRID Consider the hazards identified in substation and Penwortham number of the Substation 0800 404090 this document when working near the emergency tower and the electrical equipment contact number No entry without authority emergency contact ZU 1A will be on the site In an emergency telephone number will be on sign. 0800 404090 this type of sign. Danger 400,000 volts 04 Part 1 Part 2 Electricity transmission Statutory requirements for working infrastructure near high-voltage electricity National Grid owns and maintains the Underground cables high-voltage electricity transmission network Underground cables are a growing feature The legal framework that regulates electric shock. At the voltages National in England and Wales (Scotland has its own of National Grid’s network. They consist of electrical safety in the UK is The Grid operates at, it is possible for networks). It’s responsible for balancing supply a conducting core surrounded by layers of Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity electricity to jump up to several metres with demand on a minute-by-minute basis insulation and armour. Cables can be laid in Regulations (ESQCR) 2002. This also from an exposed conductor and kill or across the network. the road, across open land or in tunnels. They details the minimum electrical safety cause serious injury to anyone who is operate at a range of voltages, up to 400kV. clearances, which are used as a basis nearby. For this reason, there are several Overhead lines for the Energy Networks Association legal requirements and safety standards Overhead lines consist of two main parts – (ENA) TS 43-8. These standards have that must be met. pylons (also called towers) and conductors Substations been agreed by CENELEC (European (or wires). Pylons are typically steel lattice Substations are found at points on the Committee for Electrotechnical Any breach of legal safety clearances structures mounted on concrete foundations. network where circuits come together or Standardisation) and also form part of the will be enforced in the courts. This can A pylon’s design can vary due to factors such where a rise or fall in voltage is required. British Standard BS EN 50341-1:2012 – and has – resulted in the removal of as voltage, conductor type and the strength of Transmission substations tend to be large Overhead Electrical Lines exceeding AC an infringement, which is normally at structure required. facilities containing equipment such as power 1kV. All electricity companies are bound the cost of the developer or whoever transformers, circuit breakers, reactors and by these rules, standards and technical caused it to be there. Breaching safety Conductors, which are the ‘live’ part of the capacitors. Diesel generators and compressed specifications. They are required to clearances, even temporarily, risks a overhead line, hang from pylons on insulators. air systems are also found there. uphold them by their operator’s licence. serious incident that could cause serious Conductors come in several different designs injury or death. depending on the amount of power that is transmitted on the circuit. Electrical safety clearances National Grid will, on request, advise It is essential that a safe distance is kept planning authorities, developers or In most cases, National Grid’s overhead lines between the exposed conductors and third parties on any safety clearances operate at 275kV or 400kV. people and objects when working near and associated issues. We can supply National Grid’s electrical assets. A person detailed drawings of all our overhead does not have to touch an exposed line assets marked up with relevant conductor to get a life-threatening safe areas. 05 Part 3 What National Grid will do for you and your development Provision of information National Grid should be notified well in advance of any works or developments taking place near our electrical assets. We can then provide the following services: Drawings Risk or impact identification National Grid will provide relevant drawings National Grid can help identify any hazards of overhead lines or underground cables to or risks that the presence of our assets might make sure the presence and location of our bring to any works or developments. services are known. Once a third party or This includes both the risk to safety from developer has contacted us, we will supply high-voltage electricity and longer-term the drawings for free. issues, such as induced currents, noise and maintenance access that may affect the outcome of the development. National Grid will not authorise specific working procedures, 400kV but we can provide advice on best practice. The maximum nominal voltage of the underground cables in National Grid’s network 06 Diagram not to scale Risks or hazards to be aware of This section includes a brief description of some of the hazards Length of suspension and issues that a third party or developer might face when insulator 45o 45o working or developing close to our electrical infrastructure. Sag of conductor at crossing position at Maximum maximum conductor swing temperature Allowable minimum