Substation Lighting: Design Considerations & Best Practices

Across the United States, tens of thousands of utility substations operate around the clock to help distribute electricity, ensuring reliable power for millions of consumers. While these stations vary in size and function, they all require well-designed lighting systems to maintain safety, security, and operational efficiency.

From preventing workplace accidents to deterring unauthorized access, strategically planned lighting plays a vital role in ensuring both safety and security. However, designing an effective solution here requires careful attention to factors such as illumination levels, fixture placement, environmental resilience, and energy efficiency.

Tag along as we explore why substation lighting is so essential, factors to consider when building your layout, and some best practices you can implement to ensure your system is as effective as possible.

What is substation lighting?

Substation lighting refers to the strategically designed illumination systems installed in utility substations to ensure visibility, safety, and operational efficiency. This lighting typically includes high-intensity floodlights, LED fixtures, and emergency backup lighting to provide adequate illumination for technicians and security personnel alike.

Since these stations run 24/7, proper lighting is essential for nighttime maintenance, inspections, and emergency repairs. Additionally, lighting solutions must be energy-efficient and capable of withstanding harsh weather conditions and environmental factors such as moisture and extreme temperatures.

Developments in substation safety and security

While sufficient lighting is crucial to promote safety in nearly any environment, there’s been a recent push for increased caution at substations in particular due to rising threats such as vandalism, theft, and even deliberate physical attacks.

Over the past decade, regulatory bodies like the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) have implemented stricter guidelines to protect critical infrastructure from potential disruptions. For instance, the NERC CIP-014 standard focuses on the physical security of substations, while FERC now encourages investments in high-efficiency LED lighting and motion-activated security lighting.

These changes have been driven by several incidents that have occurred over the years that put substation workers at risk, while also jeopardizing the power supply for thousands of Americans. One notable example is the 2013 Metcalf sniper attack in California, where unknown assailants fired at a PG&E substation, severely damaging transformers and nearly causing a major blackout in Silicon Valley. More recently, in 2022, attacks on substations in North Carolina and Washington state left thousands of homes without power, underscoring the ongoing risks that substations face.

How can lighting improve substation security?

The right lighting system serves as a powerful deterrent at utility substations by discouraging trespassers and potential attackers, while ensuring high visibility for security monitoring. For example, well-placed, high-intensity lighting eliminates dark areas where intruders could hide and helps to enhance surveillance footage for security personnel.

Older substations that may still rely on high-pressure sodium (HPS) or metal halide (MH) lamps are strongly encouraged to consider a long-overdue upgrade to LED lighting, which provides superior brightness, a longer lifespan, and lower energy consumption. LEDs also offer better color rendering, allowing CCTV to capture clearer images and improving visibility for workers conducting nighttime maintenance.

These systems also often allow for smart control features such as motion detection and dimming, ensuring bright illumination is available when needed most. By implementing well-designed LED lighting, substations can vastly improve safety, security, and compliance with industry standards, while also helping ward off nefarious actors.

Lighting solutions to consider for substations

Unlike standard outdoor lighting, substation lighting must be durable and strategically placed to cover key areas such as perimeters, entry points, and critical equipment. Solutions like flood lighting for large coverage, motion-activated lights for security, and emergency backup lighting for power failures are all essential components of a reliable substation lighting plan.

• High-intensity flood lighting: Bright, wide-angle flood lights mounted along a substation’s perimeter discourage unauthorized entry and enhance visibility for surveillance cameras.
• Area lighting for substation grounds: Pole-mounted LED lights ensure safe navigation for personnel and vehicles in and around a substation.
• Wall packs for equipment sheds: Durable LED wall packs provide localized lighting for storage areas, improving visibility and reducing blind spots.
• Motion-activated security lights: Motion activation instantly brightens lights when movement is detected, alerting security teams and deterring unauthorized access.
• Emergency backup lighting: Battery-powered or solar-backed LED fixtures ensure continued visibility during grid failures or emergency situations.

Determining specific substation requirements

When formulating your lighting approach, you have a couple of options available to help you assess your particular needs: lighting design calculators and lighting plans.

A lighting design calculator is a tool that measures the appropriate amount of light needed for a specific area based on factors such as the size of the space, the desired brightness levels, and the purpose of the lighting. It helps determine the optimal placement and quantity of light sources to achieve uniform lighting coverage, ensuring that safety and visibility requirements are met. These calculators typically rely on industry standards and lighting simulation software to provide more precise recommendations.

On the other hand, a lighting plan serves as a detailed visual representation that maps out the positioning, layout, and design of lighting systems within a particular space. While a design calculator focuses on the technical specifications behind the lighting setup, a lighting plan serves as the physical blueprint and roadmap for implementation. Essentially, calculators are more focused on providing numerical data, while plans visualize the overall layout and placement of lighting elements in the space.

Which approach is best for substations?

When it comes to lighting design calculators vs lighting plans, one isn’t necessarily better than the other. Rather, which option is best for you depends on your unique needs and what you hope to achieve.

Let’s break it down:

Lighting Design Calculator

• Precise requirements: Perfect for calculating exact light levels (lux or foot-candles) for specific areas like maintenance zones.
• Quick modifications: Great for quickly adjusting lighting design based on changing requirements (e.g., after an incident).
• Energy optimization: Helps design lighting systems with minimal power consumption while meeting required illumination levels.
• Budget constraints: Useful for staying within a specific budget, providing cost-effective lighting configurations without compromising quality.

Lighting Plan

• Comprehensive overview: Often preferred when a clear, visual layout of all lighting installations across a facility is needed.
• Complex installations: Ensures all fixtures are strategically placed when dealing with multiple lighting systems, such as flood lights and area lighting.
• Long-term planning: Ideal for substations planning for future expansions or upgrades, offering a scalable lighting solution.
• Aesthetic considerations: Verifies that lighting fixtures complement the physical design of a substation, while balancing functionality and aesthetics.

Choose e-conolight for your substation lighting needs

Selecting a lighting partner that offers an extensive variety of solutions and customization options is essential for substations to address their unique lighting needs in the most effective way. Different areas of a substation—such as the perimeter, equipment sheds, and maintenance zones—require different types of lighting, and a versatile provider can offer tailored solutions that meet specific requirements.

That’s where e-conolight steps in. No matter what type of lighting you’re after, e-conolight’s massive selection of powerful LED solutions ensures you’re able to find everything you need to fit your unique requirements. No need to spend unnecessary time picking and pairing from different providers across the web—we’ve got everything you’re looking for right here!