61936-1  IEC:2002 – 53 –

Table 1 – Minimum clearances in air – Voltage range I (1 kV < U m ≤ 245 kV)

Rated short-
Nominal Highest Rated lightning Minimum phase-to-earth
duration power-
voltage of voltage for impulse withstand and phase-to-phase
frequency withstand
system equipment voltage a clearance, N c
Voltage voltage
range
Un Um 1,2/50 µs Indoor Outdoor
r.m.s. r.m.s. r.m.s. (peak value) installations installations
kV kV kV kV mm mm
20 60 120
3 3,6 10
40 60 120
40 60 120
6 7,2 20
60 90 120
60 90 150
10 12 28 75 120 150
95 160 160
75 120 160
15 17,5 38
95 160 160
95 160
20 24 50 125 220
145 270
145 270
30 36 70
170 320
I 45 52 95 250 480
66 72,5 140 325 630
185 b 450 900
110 123
230 550 1 100
185 b 450 b 900
132 145 230 550 1 100
275 650 1 300
230 b 550 b 1 100
150 170 275 650 1 300
325 750 1 500
275 b 650 b 1 300
325 b 750 b 1 500
220 245 360 850 1 700
395 950 1 900
460 1 050 2 100
a The rated lightning impulse is applicable to phase-to-phase and phase-to-earth.
b If values are considered insufficient to prove that the required phase-to-phase withstand voltages are met,
additional phase-to-phase withstand tests are needed.
c For rod-structure.
61936-1  IEC:2002 – 55 –

Table 2 – Minimum clearances in air – Voltage range II (U m > 245 kV)

Highest Rated Rated Rated

Nominal
voltage lightning switching switching
voltage Minimum phase- Minimum phase-to-
for impulse impulse impulse
of to-earth clearance phase clearance
equip- withstand withstand withstand
system
ment c voltage a voltage voltage
Voltage Phase-to-
Phase-to-
range Rod phase Conductor
earth 250/ Conductor Rod
Un – 250/ –
Um 1,2/50 µ s 2 500 µs – –
r.m.s. structure 2 500 µs conductor
r.m.s. (peak value) (peak structure conductor
N (peak parallel
value)
value)
kV kV kV kV mm kV mm
1 600
850/950 750 1 900 1 125 2 300 2 600
1 700 b
275 300
1 800
950/1 050 850 2 400 1 275 2 600 3 100
1 900 b
1 800
950/1 050 850 2 400 1 275 2 600 3 100
330 362 1 900 b

1 050/1 175 950 2 200 2 900 1 425 3 100 3 600

1 900
1 050/1 175 850 2 400 1 360 2 900 3 400
2 200 b
II 380 420 2 200
1 175/1 300 950 2 900 1 425 3 100 3 600
2 400 b
1 300/1 425 1 050 2 600 3 400 1 575 3 600 4 200
2 200
1 175/1 300 950 2 900 1 615 3 700 4 300
525 2 400 b
480
(550) c 1 300/1 425 1 050 2 600 3 400 1 680 3 900 4 600
1 425/1 550 1 175 3 100 4 100 1 763 4 200 5 000
1 675/1 800 1 300 3 600 4 800 2 210 6 100 7 400
765
700 1 800/1 950 1 425 4 200 5 600 2 423 7 200 9 000
(800) c
1 950/2 100 1 550 4 900 6 400 2 480 7 600 9 400
a The rated lightning impulse is applicable phase-to-phase and phase-to-earth.
b Minimum clearance required for upper value of rated lightning impulse withstand voltage.
c The introduction of U m = 550 kV (instead of 525 kV); 800 kV (instead of 765 kV); 1 200 kV, of a value between
765 kV and 1 200 kV, and of the associated rated withstand voltages, is under consideration.

5.4 Minimum clearances between parts under special conditions

5.4.1 The minimum clearances between parts of an installation which may be subject to
phase opposition shall be 20 % higher than the values given in table 1 and table 2 and
annex A.

5.4.2 Minimum clearances between parts of an installation, which are assigned to different
insulation levels, shall be at least 125 % of the clearances of the higher insulation level.

5.4.3 If conductors swing under the influence of short-circuit forces, 50 % of the minimum
clearances of table 1 and table 2 and annex A shall be maintained as a minimum.
 Training Report Jan-2009 to Apr- 2009

ELECTRICAL CLEARANCES
The clearances are mainly maintained to ensure satisfactory performance in service
and ensure supply of personal inspection, operation and maintenance. Types of clearances are

Earth clearance
Phase clearance
Section clearance
Ground clearance
Bay clearance or Bay width

Earth Clearance
The electrical clearance is defined as “The minimum distance required between live
parts and earth material”.

Phase Clearance
The difference between two or more live parts at difference potential then it is called
phase clearance. There are meant to prevent spark or flash over.

There clearance for outdoor switchgear having voltage above 22KV are related to the
impulse withstand load for which the equipment has been manufactured.

Section Clearance
This safety clearance to conductor is defined as “The clearance having minimum
difference between on unscreened live conductor and to the limits of a working clearance
whenever the separation is related to the safety of operating personal.

As per the standards “This is the minimum clearance from any point where a men may be
required to stand to the nearest outdoor conductor in air”.

The following table gives the difference clearance level for the various system
voltages. This is up to 1000m from the sea level.

GENERAL CLEARANCE:

HIGHEST IMPULSE MINIMUM MINIMUM SECTION

SYSTEM WITHSTANDING CLEARANCE CLEARANCE CLEARANCE
VOLTAGE VOLTAGE (KV) TO EARTH BETWEEN (m.m)
(KV) (m.m) PHASE (m.m.)
12 60 90 90 2600

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 Training Report Jan-2009 to Apr- 2009

75 120 120 2600

36 145 320 320 2750
170 630 630 3000
72.5 325 630 630 3500

123 450 900 900 3500

550 1000 1000 4000
145 450 900 900 3500
550 1100 1100 4000
650 1300 1300 4000
245 850 1600 1700 4500
950 1900 1900 4500
1050 2400 2400 5000

Table-2
The following table gives the normal practice of voltage:

RATED VOLTAGE FOR EQUIPMENT & PHASE TO PHASE FOR

RIGID CONDUCTOR IN ISOLATOR & SWITCHES
ARE
PHASE TO PHASE TO ISOLATOR SWITCHES WITH
PHASE EARTH ARCING HORN
(mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
7000 3500 7000 -

400
230 3350 1700 3350 3962
132 2800 1500 1500 -
110 1700 1000 2135 3050
66 1220 750 1525 2135
33 915 610 765 1220
22 610 460 765 1070
11 560 3005 6010 910
0.4 380 305 - -

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 Training Report Jan-2009 to Apr- 2009

Table-3

Ground Clearance
VOLTAGE RATING MINIMUM CLEARANCE SECTION
(kV) TO GROUND(mm) CLEARANCE(mm)
400 8000 5500
230 5500 4270
132 4600 3500/4000
110 4600 3360
66 4600 3050
33 3650 2750
22 3650 2750
11 3650 2600
Table-4

Bay Clearance as Per Standard

It is the minimum distance between the two centre points of the tower.

Rated voltage(KV) Bay width (m)

400 27
230 16
132 11
110 9.5 TO 10
66 7
33 4.6
22 3.8
11 3.5
Table-5

ISOLATOR / DISCONNECTORS
Definition
“A mechanical switching device which provides, in the open position, an isolating
distance in accordance with specified requirements” this is according to the IS 9921-1.
A disconnector is capable of opening and closing a circuit when either negligible current is
broken or made, or when no significant change in the voltage across the terminals of each of

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