IEEE Std C57.12.

00-2010
IEEE Standard for General Requirements for Liquid-Immersed Distribution, Power, and Regulating Transformers

5.10 Insulation levels

Transformers shall be designed to provide coordinated low-frequency and impulse insulation levels on line
terminals and low-frequency insulation levels on neutral terminals. The primary identity of a set of
coordinated levels shall be its maximum system voltage and basic lightning impulse insulation level (BIL).
BIL will be selected dependent on the degree of exposure of the transformer and characteristics of the overvoltage protection system.
The system voltage and the type of transformer may also influence insulation levels and test procedures.
Therefore, power transformers are separated into two different classes as follows:
a)

Class I power transformers shall include power transformers with high-voltage windings of 69 kV
and below.
b) Class II power transformers shall include power transformers with high-voltage windings from
115 kV through 765 kV.
The following tables show various system voltages, insulation, and test levels for various classes of liquidimmersed power transformers:


Table 4 lists dielectric insulation and low-frequency test levels for distribution and Class I power
transformers.

Table 5 lists dielectric insulation and low-frequency test levels for Class II power transformers.

Table 6 lists high-frequency test levels.

5.10.1 Front-of-wave insulation level

Front-of-wave insulation levels and tests shall be specified when desired; otherwise, withstand insulation
capability is not required.
Annex A includes the last published IEEE C57.12.00 front-of-wave test levels for historical reference. See
Annex A.

14

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IEEE Std C57.12.00-2010

IEEE Standard for General Requirements for Liquid-Immersed Distribution, Power, and Regulating Transformers

Table 4 <Dielectric insulation levels for distribution and Class I power transformers,
voltages in kV
Maximum
system
voltage
(kV
rms)

Nominal
system
voltage
(kV
rms)

Col 1

Col 2

Applied voltage test

(kV rms)
Delta
or fully
insulated wye

Grounded wye

Impedance
grounded wye

Col 3

Col 4

Col 5

Winding line-end
BIL
(kV crest)

Induced
voltage
test
(phase to
ground)
(kV rms)

Minimum

Col 6

Col 7

Neutral BIL
(kV crest)

Alternates

Grounded wye

Impedance
grounded wye

Col
8

Col 10

Col 11

30
45
60
75
75
75
75
95

30
45
60
75
75
95
125
150

Col
9

Distribution transformers
1.5
3.5
6.9
11
17
26
36
48

1.2
2.5
5
8.7
15
25
34.5
46

10
15
19
26
34
40
50
95










10
15
19
26
34
40
50
70

1.4
2.9
5.8
10
17
29
40
53

30
45
60
75
95
125
125
200

150
150
250

73

69

140

95

80

250

350

95

200
30
45
60
75
75
95
125
150
200

110
200

Class I power transformers

1.5
3.5
6.9
11
17
26
36
48

1.2
2.5
5
8.7
15
25
34.5
46

10
15
19
26
34
50
70
95

10
15
19
26
26
26
26
34

10
15
19
26
34
40
50
70

1.4
2.9
5.8
10
17
29
40
53

30
45
60
75
95
150
200
200

45
60
75
95
110

250

30
45
60
75
75
75
75
95

73

69

140

34

95

80

250

350

95

NOTE 1For nominal system voltage greater than maximum system voltage, use the next higher voltage class for
applied voltage test levels.
NOTE 2Induced voltage tests shall be conducted at 2.0 nominal voltage for 7200 cycles.
NOTE 3Bold typeface BILs are the most commonly used standard levels.
NOTE 4Y-Y connected transformers using a common solidly grounded neutral may use neutral BIL selected in
accordance with the low-voltage winding rating.
NOTE 5Single-phase distribution and power transformers and regulating transformers for voltage ratings between
terminals of 8.7 kV and below are designed for both Y and  connection, and are insulated for the test voltages
corresponding to the Y connection so that a single line of transformers serves for the Y and  applications. The test
voltages for such transformers, when connected and operated, are therefore higher than needed for their voltage
rating.
NOTE 6For series windings in transformers, such as regulating transformers, the test values to ground shall be
determined by the BIL of the series windings rather than by the rated voltage between terminals.
NOTE 7Values listed as nominal system voltage in some cases (particularly voltages 34.5 kV and below) are
applicable to other lesser voltages of approximately the same value. For example, 15 kV encompasses nominal
system voltages of 14 440 V, 13 800 V, 13 200 V, 13 090 V, 12 600 V, 12 470 V, 12 000 V, 11 950 V, etc.

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Col 2

Col 1

Delta &
fully
insulated
wye
Col 3
Col 4

Grounded wye
Col 5

Impedance
grounded
wye

Applied voltage test

(kV rms)

Col 6

Enhanced
7200 cy.
Col 7

One
hour

Induced voltage test

(phase to ground)
(kV rms)

Col 8

Minimum
Col 9

Col 10

Alternates

Winding line-end BIL

(kV crest)

Col 11

Grounded
wye

Col 12

Col 13

Impedance
grounded
wye

Neutral BIL
(kV crest)

<=17
26
36
48
73

<=15
25
34.5
46
69

34
50
70
95
140

26
26
26
34
34

Copyright 2010 IEEE. All rights reserved.

16

Low-voltage windings (69 kV and lower)

26
20
15
110
110
110
34
29
24
110
110
150
50
41
32
110
125
200
70
55
42
250
110
150
200
95
81
63
350
110
200
250
High-voltage windings (115 kV and higher)
121
115
173
34
95
120
105
350
550
110
250
450
145
138
207
34
95
145
125
450
650
110
250
550
169
161
242
34
140
170
145
550
750
825
110
350
650
242
230
345
34
140
240
210
650
900
110
350
750
825
362
345
518
34
140
360
315
900
1050
1175
110
350
550
500
N/A
34
140
520
460
1425
1550
1675
110
350
765
735
N/A
34
140
850
750
1950
2050
110
350
800
765
N/A
34
140
885
795
1950
2050
110
350
NOTE 1For nominal system voltage greater than maximum system voltage, use the next higher voltage class for applied test levels
NOTE 2Induced voltage tests shall be conducted at 1.58 nominal voltage for one hour and 1.80 nominal voltage for enhanced 7200 cycle tests (note 69 kV and
below do not follow this formula).
NOTE 3Column 6 and Column 7 provide phase-to-ground test levels that would normally be applicable to wye windings. When the test voltage level is to be
measured phase-to-phase (as is normally the case with delta windings), the levels in Column 5 and Column 6 must be multiplied by 1.732 to obtain the required
phase-to-phase induced-voltage test level.
NOTE 4Bold typeface BILs are the most commonly used standard levels.
NOTE 5Y-Y connected transformers using a common solidly grounded neutral may use neutral BIL selected in accordance with the low-voltage winding rating.
NOTE 6For 500kV to 765 kV nominal system voltages, induced voltage test levels do not follow rules in Note 2, and 1950 kV BIL is not a standard IEEE level.

Nominal
system
voltage
(kV rms)

Maximum
system
voltage
(kV rms)

Table 5 Dielectric insulation levels for Class II power transformers, voltages in kV

IEEE Std C57.12.00-2010

IEEE Standard for General Requirements for Liquid-Immersed Distribution, Power, and Regulating Transformers