Preventing Lightning Strikes at Utility Substations | A Case Study

Published by admin at October 16, 2025

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This Case Study examines the challenges of lightning protection in the utilities sector, highlighting how initial “collection” design choices were actually vulnerabilities, and how Lightning Eliminators’ “prevention” solutions are much better adapted to real-world operating conditions.

Abstract

A leading provider of electric power, cable, internet, and telephone services selected a lightning protection solution to safeguard operations and minimize costly downtime from outages. However, unforeseen external and environmental factors revealed that their initial design actually contributed to new risks.

The Problem

Vulnerabilities of Legacy Lightning Protection Systems

A publicly owned electricity power distributor serving 170,000 customers in Tennessee initially installed overhead ground/shield wires to protect its substations from lightning strikes. The utility, however, determined that in a few cases the wires meant to prevent service disruptions from lightning actually caused them.