Electrical Coordination

The provisions of this Standard embody the principles and practices applicable for the purpose of effecting electrical coordination between organizations that operate electric supply or communications systems, where interference exists or is expected to exist between their networks. The Standard provides experienced personnel with influence and susceptibility guidance for power and communications systems. This Standard has been developed to help resolve coordination problems that arise between different companies. The Standard is not intended to constrain an individual company that owns and operates both power and communication facilities that may interfere with each other. Electrical coordination associated with electrified railways (CSA Standard C22.3 No. 8) and pipelines (CSA Standard C22.3 No. 6) is not included. 

Railways in Canada operating in more than one province come within the legislative authority of the Parliament of Canada and are subject to the Railway Safety Act, which is administered by Transport Canada. Railways under federal jurisdiction are required to construct, operate, and maintain their facilities in accordance with the Railway Safety Act and the orders, regulations, and judgements of Transport Canada. 

This Standard addresses power system influence over the frequency range from dc to 17 kHz, due to electric, magnetic, and conductive coupling between the two systems, including mutual bonding and grounding. (While this Standard covers frequencies up to 17 kHz, little information is currently available for values over 3 kHz.) Normal power system operation, including power phase unbalances, is covered, as well as abnormal or fault conditions. (Physical contact between power and communication facilities is addressed in CSA Standard C22.3 No. 5.1.) Interference due to overhead and underground power facil ities is addressed, as well as power system terminal equipment, to the extent that this equipment can affect the interference. 

Power lines operating at utilization voltages (below 750 V) are specifically excluded, along with interference experienced inside buildings or commercial and industrial plants. Communication facilities include all wire and cable configurations (coaxial cables, twisted pair, shielded cables, fibre-optic cables with metallic components, open wire, etc) with individual circuits operating in either an analog or digital mode. 

The achievement of optimum electrical coordination between power, telecommunication, and railway companies may sign ificantly reduce the overall costs of solving their mutual problems of electrical interference. 

Various administrative and technical arrangements addressing electrical coordination issues currently exist between individual power and communication companies, but only within their common jurisdictional boundaries. These agreements are generally based on local and traditional design parameter values that have become accepted as operational objectives or standards, through their long-term application. In many cases, these bilateral agreements could be significantly improved by following the guidelines included here. 

This Standard will permit the interpretation of the following quantities, for existing or proposed power and communication facilities:

(a) power influence, at the fundamental, harmonic, and other nonharmonic frequencies;
(b) longitudinal noise or noise-to-ground;
(c) mutual coupling between power and communication lines;
(d) longitudinally induced 60 Hz voltage;
(e) metallic, or normal mode, noise;
(f) cable balance; and
(g) ground potential rise (GPE), including any dc offset. 

This Standard summarizes the technical issues associated with electrical coordination and presents some solutions for typical problems. Coordination levels for the relevant electrical parameters, with application notes, are discussed in detail, and an approach is presented that is intended to facilitate the development of optimal electrical coordination between a power utility and a communication company within the boundaries of their joint jurisdiction. In cases where interference exists, or is expected to occur, it should be beyond the established tolerable objective or coordination levels before any preventive or joint mitigative action is initiated. If mitigation is required, guidelines reflecting both technical and administrative issues are provided for achieving the optimum overall solution.