top of page

CMCE Lightning Protection

williammurley
5 hours ago
3 min read

CMCE Lightning Protection: The Best Protection Starts Before Impact

For mining operations, utilities, ports and critical infrastructure, lightning protection is about protecting people, maintaining essential services and reducing disruption.

CMCE Lightning Protection technology takes a preventive approach. Its intended operating principle is electric-field compensation: addressing local electrical conditions that favour a lightning attachment before impact occurs.

Developed by SERTEC, a company with more than 20 years of experience in the sector, CMCE brings a long history of technology development to the challenge of lightning risk management.


The best protection starts before impact.


How does CMCE technology work?

The manufacturer describes CMCE as a passive electric-field compensator. Through its associated capacitances and connection to the earthing system, it is designed to redistribute electrical charge and reduce local conditions that favour the formation of an upward leader.

An upward leader can connect with a descending lightning leader, establishing a path for a direct strike. CMCE’s preventive objective is to reduce the likelihood of that attachment at the protected installation. This is a local protection concept—not a claim that thunderstorms or lightning across the surrounding region are eliminated.

Two Australian installations illustrate the field outcomes reported by EEKO.

Case study 1: Centurion Coal Mine, Queensland

At Centurion Coal Mine’s coal handling and preparation plant, EEKO reports that a CMCE 120 was installed in January 2026 alongside existing conventional lightning protection.

The trial provided an opportunity to monitor the installation during active storm conditions. According to EEKO’s trial summary, a storm on 13 January recorded:

  • 2,071 lightning events within 30 kilometres.

  • 246 confirmed ground strikes.

  • Three ground strikes within two kilometres.

  • No recorded ground strikes within the nominated CMCE protection area.

EEKO reports that the trial subsequently exceeded its target of ten storms, with no ground strikes recorded inside the nominated protected zone during the monitored trial.

This is an encouraging operational observation. Because the installation retained conventional protection, the trial represents performance of the combined installation; it does not independently isolate CMCE’s contribution.

Case study 2: Palmerston Water Tower, Northern Territory

Palmerston Water Tower provides a longer observation period in a region with substantial lightning activity.

EEKO’s published case study describes repeated lightning impacts before installation and reports no direct ground strikes within the nominated protected area over three monitored years following CMCE installation. EEKO states that the outcome was supported by client confirmation and independent lightning detection data.

For water infrastructure, tracking both lightning activity and equipment performance helps operators evaluate protection over time. These reported results are promising, while a period without recorded strikes does not establish a guarantee against future events.

Safety certification and technical validation

Certification, engineering assessment and field monitoring each contribute different evidence.

Product certification: UL’s public directory identifies SERTEC under file E505360, in the category “Lightning Conductors, Air Terminals and Fittings.” Certification must be matched to the specific listed model and its scope; a component listing should not be presented as certification that lightning cannot occur within a stated radius.

Australian technical assessment: EEKO reports that the University of Newcastle’s Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources assessed the technology and issued a signed report addressing its use in Australia and New Zealand.

International assessment pathways: EEKO also identifies Lloyd’s Register and RINA type approvals, alongside NATO codification. These have different purposes: NATO codification identifies equipment for procurement and logistics and should not be described as a safety endorsement. Project teams should review the applicable certificates and assessment reports, including their conditions and limitations.


A preventive technology within a complete safety strategy

The strongest project decisions connect product evidence with the actual site: its structures, exposure, earthing arrangements, operational requirements and maintenance programme.

CMCE should be considered within that broader engineering assessment. Lightning detection, warning procedures, appropriate shelter, surge protection, earthing and bonding remain important parts of managing lightning risk.

For EEKO Lightning Solutions, the focus is practical: helping customers assess preventive technology, understand the supporting evidence and monitor performance throughout the installation’s service life.

CMCE Lightning Protection technology.The best protection starts before impact.

Contact EEKO Lightning Solutions to discuss your site and request the relevant case studies, certification documents and technical assessment reports.

Phone: 1300 885 792

 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page