In accordance with clause 17 of the "Rules for the Protection of Electrical Networks" (hereinafter referred to as the Rules), approved by the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated 27.12.2022 No. 1455, we inform you about the requirements for the protection zones of electrical networks and the conditions for performing work within these protection zones. According to clause 6 of the Rules, the following measures are taken to create normal operating conditions for electrical networks, ensure their preservation and compliance with safety requirements:
- security zones are established;
- compliance with the minimum permissible distances from electrical networks to industrial facilities, pipelines, roads, urban infrastructure facilities and plantings is ensured;
- Clearings are laid and maintained in forests, gardens, parks and other perennial plantings.
Protection zones of electrical networks are established in accordance with clause 7 of the Rules, in particular:
- along overhead power lines in the form of a land plot and airspace, limited by vertical planes that are distant on both sides of the line from the extreme wires, provided that their position is not deviated by a distance (for overhead lines by voltage):
2 meters – up to 1 kV;
10 meters – up to 20 kV;
15 meters – 35 kV;
20 meters – 110 kV.
According to the requirements of the Rules, within the protection zones of electrical networks, land is used in the manner established by law. According to clause 9 of the Rules, "legal entities or individuals, individual entrepreneurs, who are granted ownership, permanent or temporary use of land plots where electrical energy transmission facilities are located, are obliged to take appropriate measures to preserve the specified facilities, namely:
- maintaining fire safety conditions of land plots, timely removal of straw, garbage, dry weeds, dry reeds, plowing of stubble:
- fulfillment of reasonable requirements of owners of electrical networks regarding compliance with restrictions and burdens in protected areas;
- ensuring unhindered access in accordance with the established procedure of authorized representatives of the owner of electrical networks to electricity transmission facilities located on the territory of other legal entities or individuals/individual entrepreneurs, for repair and maintenance of such facilities.".
Within the protection zones of energy facilities, in accordance with Article 32 of the Law of Ukraine "On Energy Lands and the Legal Regime of Special Zones of Energy Facilities" and Clause 12 of the Rules, it is prohibited to:
- to build residential buildings, public buildings;
- place structures for other purposes at a shorter distance from electrical network elements than established by the standards;
- to store any materials, light fires, arrange dumps;
- plant trees, except for shrubs and seedlings with a prospective growth height of no more than two meters;
- to locate gas stations or fuel and lubricant storage facilities;
- to arrange sports grounds for games, stadiums, markets, public transport stops, to hold any events related to a large gathering of people who are not engaged in the performance of work permitted in the established procedure;
- launch sports model aircraft and kites;
- to fill in soil, to build reservoirs, ponds and other water structures;
- to pile up garbage, set fire to stubble, reeds and weeds;
- launch unmanned aerial vehicles (except for cases where they are used to ensure the operation and protection of electrical networks), balloons.
Article 33 of the above-mentioned Law of Ukraine determines that construction, repair, earthmoving, geological exploration, drilling, blasting, mining, dredging works on land plots and located in protected zones of energy facilities are carried out in agreement with the enterprises operating these facilities. Particularly dangerous are cases of approaching overhead line wires to power transmission lines (PL) of oversized (over 4.5 m high) vehicles and agricultural vehicles and cargo, as a result of which emergency shutdowns of the PL may occur and, as a result, power outages of consumers.
In addition, the approach of vehicles and other objects to 35-110 kV overhead lines under more unfavorable conditions can cause electric shock to people, fires and system failures in the energy system, and threatens to cut off power to infrastructure facilities and the population of the entire Kharkiv region.
In connection with the beginning of the fishing season, it should be especially noted that fishing in the protection zones of overhead lines and directly under the wires is extremely dangerous for fishermen. When approaching the fishing rods at an unacceptable distance to the conductive parts or getting caught in the wire with the tackle, you can get under voltage. Fishermen often do not pay attention to the power lines that pass over water bodies and carry a deadly threat.
In order to prevent accidents among the population and accelerate the elimination of emergency situations in electrical networks, clause 22 of the Rules emphasizes that in the event of detection of broken or sagging wires of overhead power lines, fallen trees or trees close to the wires, damaged cables and other damaged elements of electrical networks, it is necessary to notify the owner of the electrical networks or the local executive authority or local self-government body, the National Police, no later than one hour from the moment of detection.
The Rules also define the conditions for performing work within the protected zones of electrical networks. In particular, according to clause 25 of the Rules, a person must notify the owner of the electrical networks of their intention to perform such work 10 days in advance before starting work in the protected zone and obtain permission to perform it.
If it is necessary to carry out urgent repair and restoration work in protected areas, carried out in order to prevent or eliminate the consequences of accidents, they may be carried out in accordance with the requirements of Article 26 of the Rules without prior approval by the owner of the electrical networks and in compliance with the following requirements:
- the organization performing restoration work, while sending workers to the accident site regardless of the time of day, must send a notification to the owner of the electrical networks and organizations that have cable or overhead lines adjacent to the accident site, about the need for their representatives to arrive;
- until the arrival of the representative of the owner of the electrical networks at the scene of the accident, excavation work in the protected area of the cable transmission line must be carried out manually. If the cable is discovered, it must be protected from damage;
- upon arrival at the scene of the accident, the representative of the owner of the electrical networks is obliged to indicate the location of the electrical energy transmission facilities, verify the completeness of safety measures and ensure the safety of the facilities, issue an appropriate permit to perform work in the protected areas of electrical networks and monitor the work;
- In case of emergency and restoration works in violation (non-compliance) of the requirements of these Rules, the owner of the electrical networks shall issue a prohibition act. Works may be prohibited if their performance in violation of these Rules may pose a threat to human life or lead to damage to existing electrical energy transmission facilities.
Clause 28 of the Rules emphasizes that during agricultural work in the protection zones of overhead power lines using machines and mechanisms, soil cultivation within the embankment around the foundations and stay wires of the poles is prohibited.
After performing work in the protected areas of electrical networks, in accordance with clause 30 of the Rules, the contractor must ensure the cleaning of the work site (leveling the ground, removing garbage that accumulated during the work).