Substation Earthing Design Solutions

A Coordinated Electric System Interconnection Review—the utility’s deep-dive on technical and cost impacts of your project.

Keentel Engineering’s Approach to Safe and Compliant Earthing Systems

Substation earthing is a critical element in high-voltage (HV) and medium-voltage (MV) infrastructure. Proper grounding not only ensures operational continuity but also safeguards personnel from dangerous touch, step, and transferred voltages. At Keentel Engineering, we apply industry-leading practices—backed by EN 50522, SFS 6001, and IEEE Std 80-2013—to deliver robust earthing solutions that enhance grid reliability and critical infrastructure protection.

What are touch and step voltages?
Touch voltage is the potential between a grounded object and a person’s feet; step voltage is between a person’s feet one metre apart.
Which standards govern earthing design?
EN 50522, SFS 6001, and IEEE Std 80-2013; for VFTOs, refer to IEC 62271-100.
Why is fault duration important?
Longer fault clearing times lower permissible touch voltages due to increased exposure.
How does soil resistivity affect grounding?
High-resistivity soils require deeper electrodes, artificial ground beds, or soil conditioning.
What are transferred potentials?
Fault currents can flow through buried metallic paths, endangering people and equipment far from the fault.
How can GIS substations pose urban risks?
Shared earthing paths in dense areas increase transferred voltage hazards.
What are VFTOs?
Very Fast Transient Overvoltages arise during GIS disconnector operations, potentially causing insulation stress.
How are VFTOs mitigated?
Direct bonding of enclosures, insulating spacers, and internal shield electrodes reduce VFTO amplitude.
Can transferred voltages be modeled?
Yes—3D EM simulations (e.g., CDEGS) capture complex GIS-to-urban earthing interactions.
What touch voltage limits apply?
Per EN 50522, limits range from 80 V for faults >10 s to higher limits for short-duration faults.

In 1995, Sandip (Sonny) R. Patel earned his Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Illinois, specializing in Electrical Engineering . But degrees don’t build legacies—action does. For three decades, he’s been shaping the future of engineering, not just as a licensed Professional Engineer across multiple states (Florida, California, New York, West Virginia, and Minnesota), but as a doer. A builder. A leader. Not just an engineer. A Licensed Electrical Contractor in Florida with an Unlimited EC license. Not just an executive. The founder and CEO of KEENTEL LLC—where expertise meets execution. Three decades. Multiple states. Endless impact.