IEC TS 62344:2022 PDF

Overview

IEC TS 62344:2022 provides general guidelines for the design of earth electrode stations for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) links. The technical specification covers design principles, limits and precautions to ensure personnel safety, electrode integrity and minimal impact on DC transmission systems and the environment. The 2022 edition updates key design limits, measurement requirements and monitoring practices for both land and sea/shore electrodes.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Main scope: Design of land, sea and shore earth electrodes for HVDC systems; safety, system impact and environmental protection.
• Electrical limits and safety: Requirements for earthing resistance, step and touch voltages, temperature rise of electrodes and current density limits (notably changed to ~40–50 A/m² for inaccessible sea electrodes in clause 6.1.7).
• Updated calculations and coefficients: Correction to the touch-voltage formula coefficient and revised earthing-resistance requirements (clause 5.1.3 and 5.1.5); deletion of some analytical formulas for sea/shore electrodes to encourage measured-based design.
• Site investigation and parameter measurement: Extended, detailed procedures for soil and water parameter measurement and geophysical surveys (clause 6.2.5).
• Electrode materials and construction: Reformulated types/characteristics for electrode element materials and guidance on petroleum coke, feeding rods, burial depth, segmentation and electrode shapes (clauses 5.3, 6.3).
• Current-guiding systems and cabling: Design, insulation, mechanical protection and connection requirements for electrode return wires and feeder cables.
• Monitoring & testing: Extended requirements for online electrode monitoring systems (Annex H) and added informative Annexes B (design process) and C (human body resistance test results).
• Impact mitigation: Guidance for minimizing effects on metallic structures, power system components, railways, pipelines, marine fauna and other infrastructure.

Practical applications

• Designing new HVDC earth electrode stations (land, sea, shore)
• Site selection, soil/water resistivity testing and geophysical surveys for electrode feasibility
• Specifying electrode materials, burial arrangements and current-guiding systems
• Developing electrode online monitoring and maintenance plans
• Assessing and mitigating environmental and infrastructure impacts (pipelines, railways, AC power equipment)
• Preparing compliance documentation for HVDC projects and transmission planners

Who uses this standard

• HVDC design engineers and consultants
• Transmission system planners and project managers
• Substation and grounding engineers
• Environmental impact assessors and marine engineers
• Test & commissioning teams and asset managers

Related standards

• IEC TS 62344:2022 bibliography now includes CIGRE 675:2017. Refer to related IEC and CIGRE guidance for complementary HVDC grounding and system interaction practices.

Keywords: IEC TS 62344, HVDC earth electrode design, earthing resistance, touch voltage, current density, sea electrode, shore electrode, electrode monitoring, soil resistivity, HVDC grounding.