Overview
IEC TS 62344:2013 - "Design of earth electrode stations for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) links – General guidelines" is a technical specification published by the IEC in 2013. It provides guidance, limits and precautions for the design of earth electrode stations used in HVDC links to ensure personnel safety, protect electrode assets and minimise impacts on DC transmission systems and the surrounding environment. This edition replaces IEC/PAS 62344 (2007) and constitutes a technical revision.
Key topics and technical requirements
The specification covers the full lifecycle of electrode design and assessment, including:
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System conditions and parameters
- Amplitude and duration of earth-return currents, polarity and expected service life
- Design considerations for common earth electrodes shared by multiple systems
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Land, sea and shore electrode design
- Main technical parameters: earthing resistance, temperature rise, step and touch voltages, current density, and voltage gradients in water
- Site selection: soil, terrain, environmental and distance-from-converter-station criteria
- Electrode arrangement: shapes, segmentation, burial depth and total electrode length
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Materials and components
- Selection of feeding rods, petroleum coke filling, current-guiding systems, cables and mechanical protections
- Bus connections and electrode line monitoring devices
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Current-guiding systems and installation
- Placement, connection, insulation, cross-section selection and mechanical protection of guiding conductors and jumper cables
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Safety, monitoring and auxiliary facilities
- Online monitoring, soil treatment, exhaust equipment, fencing and markers
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Impact assessment and mitigation
- Effects on insulated and bare metallic structures, power system components (transformer neutrals, grounding networks), rail systems, pipelines, greenhouses, and corrosion calculations
- Mitigation measures and relevant limits
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Informative annexes
- Practical resources such as soil parameter measurement methods, electrical parameter calculation methods, thermal time constant, online monitoring schematics and corrosion assessment procedures
Practical applications and users
IEC TS 62344 is intended for professionals involved in HVDC projects, including:
- HVDC system designers and electrical engineers
- Utility and transmission asset owners
- Geotechnical and civil engineers performing site selection and soil surveys
- Environmental and safety assessors
- Project consultants, contract engineers and regulators responsible for transmission system integration
Use cases include designing new land, shore or sea earth electrodes, assessing retrofit impacts on nearby infrastructure, selecting materials and monitoring systems, and preparing safety and environmental mitigation plans.
Related standards
IEC TS 62344 complements other IEC publications addressing HVDC systems, grounding/earthing practices and electrical safety. For comprehensive compliance, consult the latest IEC standards and national regulations governing HVDC transmission and grounding design.