The International Symposium on Lightning Protection (SIPDA) is a scientific event organized every two years that has as main goals to contribute to the discussion and dissemination of innovations in lightning technology. The event covers all lightning-related aspects, including lightning physics and characterization, measurements, modeling techniques, detection and location systems, grounding, protection methods, and accidents and damages associated with the phenomenon. A special issue with extended versions of a number of selected, high quality papers presented at XII SIPDA will be published on Electric Power Systems Research.