IEEE Std 80-2013 (2015) PDF

Full title and description

IEEE Std 80-2013 — "IEEE Guide for Safety in AC Substation Grounding" provides recommended practices, calculation methods, and safety criteria for the design, evaluation, and maintenance of grounding (earthing) systems for alternating‑current substations (outdoor air‑insulated and gas‑insulated). The guide incorporates Corrigendum 1 (2015) and focuses on protection of personnel from hazardous touch and step voltages, evaluation of tolerable body currents, ground grid design, soil modelling, and testing procedures.

Abstract

This guide presents methods to assess and limit dangerous potentials and currents that may occur during ground faults in AC substations. It explains criteria for tolerable touch and step voltages, describes calculation techniques for ground‑grid performance (including equipotential bonding), addresses soil resistivity and layering, and provides guidance on conductor selection, connections, and measurement/testing of ground systems. The document is intended to support safe grounding design and evaluation practices used by power system engineers and safety professionals.

General information

• Status: Inactive‑Reserved (standard inactivated 21 March 2024; was previously active).
• Publication date: Published 15 May 2015 (approved as IEEE Std 80-2013).
• Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Power & Energy Society.
• ICS / categories: 29.120.50 (grounding, earthing — power systems).
• Edition / version: 2013 edition (published 2015; incorporates 80-2013/Cor 1-2015).
• Number of pages: 226 pages.

Scope

The guide is primarily concerned with outdoor AC substations — distribution, transmission, and generating‑plant substations — whether air‑insulated or gas‑insulated (GIS). With appropriate caution the methods may be applied to indoor portions of substations but the guide does not treat DC substation grounding or provide a quantitative analysis of lightning surge effects. It is intended as a practical technical reference for evaluating personnel safety and designing effective grounding systems at power frequency (50/60 Hz).

Key topics and requirements

• Safety criteria for tolerable body current and allowable touch and step voltages during ground faults.
• Methods for calculating grid potentials, grading resistance, and equipotential bonding to reduce hazardous potentials.
• Guidance on ground‑grid layout, conductor sizing and connections, ground rods, and bonding to structural elements.
• Soil resistivity measurement, layered soil modelling, and selection of appropriate soil models for analysis.
• Techniques for evaluating ground resistance and potential distribution (analytical, numerical, and approximate methods).
• Special considerations for gas‑insulated substations (GIS) and confined areas.
• Recommended measurement and testing practices for on‑site verification of grounding performance.
• Use of corrigenda and redline updates incorporated into the 2013 edition for correct application of formulas and clause text.

Typical use and users

Primary users are power system and substation design engineers, utility grounding specialists, safety and protection engineers, consulting firms, commissioning and testing personnel, and regulatory/safety authorities who evaluate or specify grounding systems and personnel protection measures at AC substations. The guide is used for design calculations, safety assessments, commissioning tests, and forensic or compliance evaluations following ground‑fault incidents.

Related standards

Relevant complementary documents include earlier and related IEEE grounding publications (e.g., IEEE Std 80 earlier editions, IEEE Std 81 Guide for measuring earth resistivity, and IEEE Std 142 "Grounding of Industrial and Commercial Power Systems" — the IEEE Green Book). Other national and international standards or guides on earthing, personnel protection, and equipment bonding may also be referenced for specific regional or equipment requirements.

Keywords

substation grounding; ground grid; earthing; touch potential; step potential; tolerable current; soil resistivity; equipotential bonding; GIS grounding; ground resistance measurement; grounding design.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: IEEE Std 80-2013 is the IEEE Guide for Safety in AC Substation Grounding — a technical guide offering methods and safety criteria for design and evaluation of grounding systems in AC substations.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers safety criteria for tolerable body current, calculation procedures for touch and step voltages, ground‑grid design and conductor selection, soil resistivity and modelling, measurement/testing methods, and special considerations for GIS and confined areas. It does not address DC substation grounding or provide a detailed analysis of lightning surge effects.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Power and substation design engineers, utility grounding and protection specialists, consultants, commissioning/test engineers, and safety/regulatory personnel use this guide for grounding design, safety assessment, and verification.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The document is the 2013 edition published 15 May 2015. As recorded by IEEE Standards, its status is Inactive‑Reserved as of 21 March 2024 (it was active prior to inactivation). Users should confirm whether a more recent or replacement standard has been published before relying on it for new designs.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — IEEE Std 80 is part of a family of IEEE publications on grounding and earthing that includes previous editions of Std 80 and related IEEE guides (for example IEEE Std 81 and IEEE Std 142). These documents are often used together when addressing grounding design, measurement, and safety.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: The principal keywords are substation grounding, ground grid, touch potential, step potential, soil resistivity, equipotential bonding, grounding design, and GIS grounding.