This part of IEC 60099 is not a mandatory standard but provides information, guidance, and
recommendations for the selection and application of surge arresters to be used in threephase
systems with nominal voltages above 1 kV. It applies to gapless metal-oxide surge
arresters as defined in IEC 60099-4, to surge arresters containing both series and parallel
gapped structure – rated 52 kV and less as defined in IEC 60099-6 and metal-oxide surge
arresters with external series gap for overhead transmission and distribution lines (EGLA) as
defined in IEC 60099-8. In Annex H, some aspects regarding the old type of SiC gapped
arresters are discussed.
The principle of insulation coordination for an electricity system is given in IEC 60071 and
IEC 60071-2 standards. Basically the insulation coordination process is a risk management
aiming to ensure the safe, reliable and economic design and operation of high voltage
electricity networks and substations. The use of surge arrester helps to achieve a system and
equipment insulation level and still maintaining an acceptable risk and the best economic of
scale.
The introduction of analytical modelling and simulation of power system transients further
optimise the equipment insulation level. The selection of surge arresters has become more
and more important in the power system design and operation. It is worthwhile to note that the
reliability of the power system and equipment is dependent on the safety margin adopted by
the user in the design and selection of the equipments and surge arresters.
Surge arrester residual voltage is a major parameter of which most users have paid a lot of
attention to when selecting the type and rating. The typical maximum surge arresters residual
voltage are given in Annex F. It is likely, however, that for some systems, or in some
countries, the system reliability requirements and design are sufficiently uniform that the
recommendations of the present standard may lead to the definition of narrow ranges of
arresters. The user of surge arresters will, in that case, not be required to apply the whole
process introduced here to any new installation and the selection of characteristics resulting
from prior practice may be continued.