Direction and methods for qualifying permanent connections used for substation grounding are provided in this standard. This standard particularly addresses the connection used within the grid system, the connection used to join ground leads to the grid system, and the connection used to join the ground leads to equipment and structures.

This standard provides direction and methods for qualifying permanent connections used for substation grounding. It particularly addresses the connection used within the grid system, the connection used to join ground leads to the grid system, and the connection used to join the ground leads to equipment and structures. Connections that are not intended to withstand fault current, for example a connection to bond equipment cabinets and fences, are outside the scope of this standard. The scope also does not include requirements for distribution and transmission structures outside the substation ground grid.

The purpose of this standard is to help give assurance to the user that a connection meeting the requirements of this standard will perform in a satisfactory manner over the lifetime of the installation, provided that the proper connection is selected for the application and that the connection is installed correctly. Grounding connections that meet the test criteria stated in this standard for a particular conductor size range and material should satisfy all of the criteria for connections as outlined in IEEE Std 80™ [B2].