Whereever voltages are present and currents flow, electric and magnetic fields cannot be avoided. It is the responsibility of any engineer designing or operating such equipment to ensure that there is no person in the vincinity is endangered and that electronic devices in the area are not impaired in their functionality. Over the last few decades, the exponential development in computing power has made it possible to numerically solve problems of field distribution that previously only could be measured or estimated.
The second half of this topical area deals with transient phenomena, their effects they have on equipment, and strategies to mitigate those. As atmospheric discharges, switching operations or insulation breakdowns cannot always be prevented, it is crucial to limit the damage they cause on nearby transmission lines, transformer stations, or other connected assets.