The article presents the problem of protection of earthing reactors connected to the star point of shunt reactors in high voltage lines, with particular regard to the detection of internal faults. Model analyses for an actual system commissioned in 2015, which is intended to be provided with earthing reactors, are included.

This paper presents difficulties encountered when designing protection devices for shunt reactors connected directly to extra-high voltage grids. Using the example of the 400 kV Ełk Bis substation, it has been demonstrated that protection of a shunt reactor based on equipment using measurements of electrical signals from voltage and current transformers has its limitations and, in some cases, may be insufficient.

Misguided design of the towers of power transmission lines can lead to serious problems such as voltage asymmetry, overvoltages, electric arc extinction difficulties or resonance – in case of double circuit line with shunt reactors. The paper points out those threats on example of 400 kV double circuit overhead transmission line with shunt reactors.

The IEEE and CIGRE recommend protection systems for high voltage shunt reactors. Unfortunately the recommendations do not include guidelines for the protection of neutral earthing reactors, which are often connected to shunt reactors to increase the effectiveness of single pole auto-reclosing. The paper discusses earthing reactor protection issues with particular emphasis on the detection of internal faults. An analysis carried...