BS en 50522-2022
BS en 50522-2022
bsi.
BS EN 50522:2022 BRITISH STANDARD
National foreword
This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 50522:2022. It
supersedes BS EN 50522:2010, which is withdrawn.
The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical
Committee PEL/99, Erection and operation of power installations.
A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on
request to its committee manager.
The UK committee draws users' attention to National Annexes NA, NB
and NC, which provide further guidance to assist users in the application
of this standard.
English Version
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2022-01-10. CENELEC members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC
Internal Regulations which stipulate the condrtions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.
Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre or to any CENELEC member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French. German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the
same status as the official versions.
CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees or Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the
Nethertands, Noiway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and the United Kingdom.
© 2022 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved wortdwide for CENELEC Members.
Contents Page
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BS EN 50522:2022
EN 50522:2022 (E)
Annex B (normative) Calculation of Permissible touch voltage Urp, Prospective permissible touch
voltage Uvrp ............................................................................................................................... 30
B.1 General ........................................................................................................................................ 30
B.2 Calculation of permissible touch voltage ................................................................................ 30
B.3 Calculation of the permissible touch voltage Urp curve values of Figure 8 ....................... 30
B.4 Calculation of prospective permissible touch voltage ........................................................... 33
Annex C (normative) Type and minimum dimensions of earth electrode materials ensuring
mechanical strength and corrosion resistance ...................................................................... 35
Annex D (normative) Current rating calculation of earthing conductors and earth electrodes .... 37
Annex E (normative) Description of the recognized specified measures M.................................... 42
Annex F (normative) Measures on earthing systems to reduce the effects of high frequency
interference ................................................................................................................................. 45
Annex G (normative) Detailed measures for earthing of equipment and installations ................... 46
G.1 Fences around substation installations ................................................................................... 46
G.2 Pipes ............................................................................................................................................ 47
G.3 Traction rails ............................................................................................................................... 47
G.4 Pole mounted transforming and/or switching installations ................................................... 47
G.5 Secondary circuits of instrument transformers ...................................................................... 48
Annex H (normative) Measuring touch voltages ................................................................................. 49
Annex I (informative) Reduction factors related to earth wires of overhead lines and metal sheaths
of underground cables ............................................................................................................... 50
1.1 General ........................................................................................................................................ 50
1.2 Typical values of reduction factors of overhead lines and cables (50 Hz) ........................... 51
1.3 Influence of the resistances to earth on current in cable sheath .......................................... 52
Annex J (informative) Basis for the design of earthing systems ...................................................... 53
J.1 Soil resistivity ............................................................................................................................. 53
J.2 Resistance to earth .................................................................................................................... 53
Annex K (informative) Installing the earth electrodes and earthing conductors ............................ 59
K.1 Installation of earth electrodes ................................................................................................. 59
K.1.1 Horizontal earth electrodes ....................................................................................................... 59
K.1.2 Vertical or inclined driven rods ................................................................................................. 59
K.1.3 Jointing the earth electrodes .................................................................................................... 59
K.2 Installation of earthing conductors .......................................................................................... 59
K.2.1 General ........................................................................................................................................ 59
K.2.2 Installing the earthing conductors ........................................................................................... 59
K.2.3 Jointing the earthing conductors ............................................................................................. 60
Annex L (informative) Measurements for and on earthing systems ................................................. 61
L.1 Soil resistivity measurement and analysis .............................................................................. 61
L.1.1 lntroduction ................................................................................................................................. 61
L. 1.2 Soil resistivity measurement.. ................................................................................................... 61
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BS EN 50522:2022
EN 50522:2022 (E)
4
BS EN 50522:2022
EN 50522:2022 (E)
European foreword
This document (EN 50522:2022) has been prepared by CLC/TC 99X "Power installations exceeding 1 kV AC
(1,5 kV DC)".
This document will supersede EN 50522:2010 and all of its amendments and corrigenda (if any).
EN 50522:2022 includes the following significant technical changes with respect to EN 50522:2010:
Text sections in italic which were indicating that the section is a copy of an IEC 61936-1 text replaced by
reference note to IEC 61936-1 due to copyright reasons.
Rearranged Annex A and B including prospective permissible touch voltage and permissible step voltage.
Details on soil resistivity measurements and touch voltage measurements including flow chart in Annex L.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. CENELEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users' national committee. A complete
listing of these bodies can be found on the CENELEC website.
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BS EN 50522:2022
EN 50522:2022 (E)
1 Scope
This document is applicable to specify the requirements for the design and erection of earthing systems of
electrical installations, in systems with nominal voltage above 1 kV AC and nominal frequency up to and
including 60 Hz, so as to provide safety and proper functioning for the use intended.
NOTE 1 The technical and procedural principles of this document can be applied when third parties' installations and
facilities are planned and/or erected in the vicinity of HV electrical power installations.
For the purpose of interpreting this document, an electrical power installation is considered to be one of the
following:
a) substation, including substation for railway power supply;
d) the electrical system of a factory, industrial plant or other industrial, agricultural, commercial or public
premises;
e) electrical power installations on offshore facilities for the purpose of generation, transmission, distribution
and/or storage of electricity;
The electrical power installation includes, among others, the following equipment:
rotating electrical machines;
switchgear;
converters;
cables;
wiring systems;
batteries;
capacitors;
earthing systems;
buildings and fences which are part of a closed electrical operating area;
NOTE 2 In general, a standard for an item of equipment takes precedence over this document.
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BS EN 50522:2022
EN 50522:2022 (E)
This document does not apply to the design and erection of earthing systems of any of the following:
overhead and underground lines between separate installations;
installations on ships according to IEC 60092 (all parts) and offshore units according to
IEC 61892 (all parts), which are used in the offshore petroleum industry for drilling, processing and storage
purposes;
test sites;
NOTE 3 The standard EN 50341 series, Overhead lines exceeding AC 1 kV, specifies requirements for the design and
erection of earthing systems in overhead lines.
NOTE 4 The scope of this document does not include the requirements for carrying out live working on electrical power
installations.
NOTE 5 The scope of this document considers safety requirements for HV installations and its influences on LV
installations. For electrical installation up to 1 kV, the standard HD 60364 series applies.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the
latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 60909 (series), Short-circuit currents in three-phase a.c. systems (IEC 60909 series)
EN IEC 62561-2, Lightning protection system components (LPSC) - Part 2: Requirements for conductors and
earth electrodes (/EC 62561-2)
IEC 60479-1 :2018, Effects o f current on human beings and livestock- Part 1: General aspects
IEC 61936-1 :2010, Power installations exceeding 1 kVa.c. - Part 1: Common rules
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BS EN 50522:2022
EN 50522:2022 (E)
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in IEC 61936-1 :2010 and the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
3.1
earth ring electrode
earth electrode embedded in the soil around a building or pole as a closed ring
3.2
effective touch voltage
touch voltage
Ur
voltage between conductive parts when touched simultaneously
Note 1 to entry: The value of the effective touch voltage could be appreciably influenced by the impedance of the person
in electric contact with these conductive parts.
Note 2 to entry: The person is touching the conductive parts with bare skin.
3.3
permissible touch voltage
Urp
limit value of touch voltage Ur
3.4
prospective touch voltage
Uvr
voltage between simultaneously accessible conductive parts when those conductive parts are not being touched
3.5
prospective permissible touch voltage
Uvrp
limit value of prospective touch voltage Uvr
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BS EN 5 0 5 2 2 : 2 0 2 2
EN 50522:2022 (E)
3.6
transferred potential
potential rise of an earthing system caused by a current to earth transferred by means of a connected conductor
(for example a metallic cable sheath, PEN conductor, pipeline, rail) into areas with low or no potential rise
relative to reference earth, resulting in a potential difference occurring between the conductor and its
surroundings
3.7
global earthing system
equivalent earthing system created by the interconnection of local earthing systems that ensures, by the
proximity of the earthing systems, that there are no touch voltages exceeding permissible limit values
Note 1 to entry: Such systems permit the division of the earth fault current in a way that results in a reduction of the earth
potential rise at the local earthing system. Such a system could be said to form a quasi equipotential surface.
Note 2 to entry: The existence of a global earthing system may be determined by sample measurements or calculation for
typical systems. Typical examples of global earthing systems are in city centres: urban or industrial areas with distributed
low- and high-voltage earthing (see Annex N).
[SOURCE: IEC 61936-1:2010, 3.7.19, modified "that there are no touch voltages exceeding permissible limit
values" and Note 2 reference to Annex added]
3.8
system with isolated neutral
system in which the neutrals of transformers and generators are not intentionally connected to earth, except for
high impedance connections for signalling, measuring or protection purposes
3.9
system with resonant earthing
system in which at least one neutral of a transformer or earthing transformer is earthed via an arc suppression
coil and the combined inductance of all arc suppression coils is essentially tuned to the earth capacitance of the
system for the operating frequency
Note 1 to entry: In case of no self-extinguishing arc fault there are two different operation methods used:
automatic disconnection;
In order to facilitate the fault localization and operation there are different supporting procedures:
phase earthing.
Note 2 to entry: Arc suppression coil may have high ohmic resistor in parallel to facilitate fault detection.
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BS EN 50522:2022
EN 50522:2022 (E)
3.10
system with low-impedance neutral earthing
system in which at least one neutral of a transformer, earthing transformer or generator is earthed directly or
via an impedance designed such that due to an earth fault at any location the magnitude of the fault current
leads to a reliable automatic tripping due to the magnitude of the fault current
3.11
earth fault current
IF
current which flows from the main circuit to earth or earthed parts at the fault location (earth fault location)
in systems with high resistive earthing, the RC composed earth fault current,
in systems with solid or low impedance neutral earthing, the line-to-earth short-circuit current.
Note 3 to entry: Further earth fault current could result from double earth fault and line to line to earth fault according to
EN 60909 (all parts).
3.12
current to earth
IE
current flowing to earth via the impedance to earth
Note 2 to entry: The current to earth is the part of the earth fault current IF, which causes the potential rise of the earthing
system. For the determination of le see also Annex L.
3.13
reduction factor
r
factor r of a three-phase line is the ratio of the current to earth over the sum of the zero sequence currents in
the phase conductors of the main circuit (r = IE I 3 10) at a point remote from the short-circuit location and the
earthing system of an installation
3.14
horizontal earth electrode
electrode which is generally buried at a depth of up to approximately 1 m. It can consist of strip, round bar or
stranded conductor and can be laid out to form a radial, ring or mesh earth electrode or a combination of these
3.15
cable with earth electrode effect
cable whose sheaths, screens or armourings have the same effect as a horizontal electrode consisting of bare
round earth-wire
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BS EN 50522:2022
EN 50522:2022 (E)
3.16
foundation earth electrode
conductive structural embedded in concrete which is in conductive contact with the earth via a large surface
3.17
potential grading earth electrode
conductor which due to shape and arrangement is principally used for potential grading rather than for
establishing a certain resistance to earth
Wilhoul Wrlh·
polenlial grading polenhal grading
Reference earth
(1n sufficient B
d1s1ance)
I
I
'M
S1·:--.
.
si'·• E
1m S3
1m 1m Cable having a conllnous metalhc
sheath ,nsulaled throughout but wilh
bolh ends exposed Sheath IS
connected lo earth al the substation.
Key
E Earth electrode
S1, S2, S3 Potential grading earth electrodes (e.g. ring earth electrodes), connected to the earth electrode E
UE Earth potential rise
Uvs Prospective step voltage
Uvr Prospective touch voltage
A Prospective touch voltage resulting from transferred potential in case of single side cable sheath earthing
B Prospective touch voltage resulting from transferred potential in case of cable sheath earthed on both sides
<p Earth surface potential
Figure 1 - Example for the surface potential profile and for the voltages in case of current carrying
earth electrodes
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BS EN 50522:2022
EN 50522:2022 (E)
(1- re) 3 lo
Rea
Reference earth
Equivalent circuit
a: 1,
31,,
- Phase cond uctor
Earthing system
'le Je !Rs
;_
Figure 2 - Example for currents, voltages and resistances for an earth fault in a transformer
substation with low impedance neutral earthing
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BS EN 50522:2022
EN 50522:2022 (E)
L3
L2
L1
t Lc-1..2 t Lc-L3
Key
lF Earth fault current
le Capacitive earth fault current (complex value, including ohmic component)
L3
L2
► - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ,
-f Lif
'
''
'
''
''
Vh
Key
lF Earth fault current
le Capacitive earth fault current (complex value, including ohmic component)
h Sum of the currents of the parallel arc-suppression coils (complex value, including ohmic component)
lH Harmonic current (different frequencies)
lRES Earth fault residual current
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BS EN 50522:2022
EN 50522:2022 (E)
L3
L2
L1
/"
I . .\
r1,I 1!
I I :
'r j -/ " k1 + i
I i i
.. ........................,.,•¼; _ , , , ' .,,'11\v'.r.. _,,,. _;r,
L F = f" k1
Key
IF Earth fault current
Figure 5 - Earth fault current in a system with low impedance neutral earthing
- L3
L2
_._ +l RES
L1
==
(+f"
=:=
c. c.
I
L ii. k1)
I'r _ k1
I + I"
Key
IF Earth fault current
Figure 6 - Earth fault current in a system with resonant earthing and temporary low impedance
neutral earthing
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BS EN 50522:2022
EN 50522:2022 (E)
--
.--.------------------ L3
L2
L1
I
I
l
T -I" kEE
I
I
I
I
Faultlocati on 1
'-- --
l F = f' kEE
---
----------
Key
!F Earth fault current
!"kEE Double earth fault current
Figure 7 - Double earth fault current in a system with isolated neutral or resonant earthing
4 Fundamental requirements
This document provides the criteria for design, installation, testing and maintenance of an earthing system such
that it operates under all conditions and ensures the safety of human life in any place to which persons have
legitimate access. It also provides the criteria to ensure that the integrity of equipment connected and in
proximity to the earthing system is maintained.
The requirements of IEC 61936-1 :2010, 4.1.1 first and second paragraph apply.
4.2 Electrical requirements
15
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