CIRCULAR
Regulations on certain aspects of high-voltage power transmission line safety protection
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Pursuant to Decree No. 189/2007/ND-CP dated December 27, 2007, issued by the Government, detailing the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Industry and Trade;
Pursuant to the Electricity Law dated December 3, 2004;
Pursuant to Decree No. 106/2005/NĐ-CP dated August 17, 2005 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Electricity Law on the protection of high-voltage power transmission line safety (Decree No. 106/2005/NĐ-CP); Decree No. 81/2009/NĐ-CP dated October 12, 2009 of the Government amending and supplementing certain provisions of Decree No. 106/2005/NĐ-CP (Decree No. 81/2009/NĐ-CP);
The Ministry of Industry and Trade details certain provisions of the Electricity Law, Decree No. 106/2005/NĐ-CP, Decree No. 81/2009/NĐ-CP as follows:
Article 1. Scope of application
This Circular specifies Clause 2 Article 51 of the Electricity Law, Clause 3 Article 3 and Clause 1, Clause 4 Article 9 of Decree No. 106/2005/NĐ-CP; Clause 1, Clause 3, Clause 4 Article 1 of Decree No. 81/2009/NĐ-CP.
Article 2. Applicability
This Circular applies to electricity units, households living within and adjacent to the power line safety zone and related organizations and individuals.
Article 3. Setting up warning signs and prohibitory signs
In addition to complying with general legal regulations on prohibitory signs and warning signs, the setting up of prohibitory signs and warning signs as stipulated in Clause 1, Clause 4 Article 9 of Decree No. 106/2005/NĐ-CP shall be implemented as follows:
1. For overhead power lines, warning signs for electrical safety according to TCVN 2572-78 type 2aX must be fixedly mounted on poles or printed directly onto poles using a sign frame type 2K at a height of 2.0m to 2.5m above ground level towards the direction that is easily visible. Electrical safety warning signs must be placed or printed on all poles.
2. For underground cable lines, marker posts or warning signs “ELECTRICAL CABLE” must be placed on the ground surface at the centerline position of the trench. Marker posts or warning signs must be placed in locations that are easily seen and can identify the cable location at any position. At mandatory turning points, marker posts or warning signs must be placed; the distance between two consecutive marker posts or warning signs shall not exceed 30m.
3. For substations surrounded by fences, enclosed substation types, switchgear cabinets, electrical safety warning signs according to TCVN 2572-78 type 1aX must be directly affixed to the doors or gates of the substations.
4. For suspended substations, on the pole where the substation is installed, electrical safety warning signs must be set up as specified for overhead lines.
Article 4. Residential areas, public places frequently crowded with people
Residential areas, public places frequently crowded with people as stipulated in Clause 1 Article 1 of Decree No. 81/2009/NĐ-CP are defined as follows:
1. Residential area (including planned residential areas) is a geographical area currently inhabited by households or planned for households to move in, regardless of the number of households.
2. Public places frequently crowded with people are areas or locations serving everyone such as markets, squares, economic and cultural facilities, school zones, fairgrounds, exhibition sites, entertainment venues.
Article 5. Grounding to prevent induced electric shock
The grounding as stipulated in Clause 4 Article 1 of Decree No. 81/2009/NĐ-CP shall be implemented as follows:
1. Grounding range
a) 220 kV voltage level: Within and outside the power line safety zone up to 25m from the outer edge of the conductor or the lowest conductor.
b) 500 kV voltage level: Within and outside the power line safety zone up to 60m from the outer edge of the conductor or the lowest conductor.
2. Grounding requirements
a) Houses or structures with metal roofs insulated from the ground: only ground the roof, metal structures under the roof do not need to be grounded.
b) Houses or structures with non-metallic roofs: ground all metal structures insulated from the ground such as walls, enclosures, beams, rafters, frames, door frames.
c) Ground metal structures insulated from the ground outside houses or structures such as iron frames, metal sheets, TV antennas, clotheslines.
3. Grounding equipment
a) Grounding rods must be made of round steel with a diameter of no less than 16 mm (or square steel with equivalent cross-sectional area) or angle steel with dimensions of no less than 40 x 40 x 4mm; length not less than 1.0m inserted vertically into the ground, one end protruding above ground level from 0.1m to 0.15m; the location of the grounding rod must not obstruct the use of houses or structures. No insulating materials may be painted on the surface of the grounding rod. In areas prone to corrosion, grounding rods must be galvanized or zinc-coated.
b) Grounding wires may be made of round steel with a diameter of no less than 6mm; flat steel with dimensions of no less than 24 x 4mm; flexible copper wire with a cross-sectional area of no less than 16mm2; if the grounding wire is made of steel, it must be zinc-coated or anti-rust painted; the grounding wire must be connected to the part of the grounding rod protruding above ground level and the metal structure requiring grounding by means of bolts or welding.
c) In cases where houses or structures already have existing grounding systems in use, there is no need to install additional grounding rods but only need to connect the grounding wire to that system by means of bolts or welding.
d) Grounding rods may be replaced by natural grounding elements such as metal structures buried in the ground of houses and structures.
4. Grounding costs and management of the grounding system
a) Grounding costs
For houses or structures existing before the construction of the high-voltage power transmission line project, the investor of the high-voltage power transmission line project shall bear all costs for installing the grounding system.
For houses or structures constructed after the completion of the high-voltage power transmission line project, the owner or lawful user of the house or structure shall bear all costs for installing and maintaining the grounding system.
b) Management of the grounding system
The owner or lawful user of houses or structures with metal structures grounded must manage the grounding system. When discovering damage or abnormal conditions in the grounding system, they must immediately report to the power transmission line management unit for coordinated resolution.
Article 6. Agreement when constructing or renovating buildings within the power line safety zone
The agreement on measures to ensure safety as stipulated in Clause 2 Article 51 of the Electricity Law shall be implemented as follows:
1. Before constructing or renovating a building, the investor or owner or lawful user of the building (hereinafter referred to as the building owner) must submit a written request for new construction or renovation to the power transmission line management unit.
Within ten working days from the date of receipt of the request document, the high voltage power grid management unit shall be responsible for surveying the construction site and preparing a consent document with the project owner.
In cases where conditions are not met to prepare a consent document, the high voltage power grid management unit must respond in writing, clearly stating the reasons for non-consent to the project owner within the aforementioned time limit.
2. The contents of the consent document include:
a) Measures to ensure safety that are applied;
b) Determination of safe distances as prescribed in Decree No. 106/2006/NĐ-CP;
c) Responsibilities of the relevant parties;
d) Other agreements.
Article 7. Maximum sag state of the conductor The maximum sag state is defined in Clause 3, Article 3 of Decree No. 106/2005/NĐ-CP; Clause 1, Clause 3, Clause 4 of Decree No. 81/2009/NĐ-CP as follows:
The maximum sag state of the conductor is the condition at which the conductor simultaneously experiences the most severe impact of influencing factors such as current passing through the conductor, surrounding environmental temperature, and permissible wind level.
Design consulting agencies and technical design approval agencies for transmission lines must base their calculations on factors increasing temperature due to thermal radiation, hot temperature due to full load and permissible overload to ensure the maximum sag meets the distance requirements stipulated in Decree No. 106/2005/NĐ-CP and Decree No. 81/2009/NĐ-CP.
1. This Circular takes effect from March 10, 2010.
Article 8. Effectiveness
2. Repeal Circular No. 06/2006/TT-BCN dated September 26, 2006 of the Ministry of Industry guiding the implementation of certain provisions of Decree No. 106/2005/NĐ-CP dated August 17, 2005 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Electricity Law regarding the protection of high-voltage power grid facilities; Grounding range for transmission lines as specified in Point 2.6 Section II on Safety Measures for residents, staff living, working, and traveling near high-voltage distribution lines and substations, issued together with Decision No. 183NL/KHKT dated April 12, 1994 of the Ministry of Energy promulgating industry standards.
During the implementation of this Circular, if there are any difficulties, organizations and individuals are requested to report to the Ministry of Industry and Trade for consideration and resolution./.
During the implementation of this Circular, if there are any difficulties, organizations and individuals are requested to report them to the Ministry of Industry and Trade for consideration and resolution./.