Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002
What this means for your business
- Applies to
- United Kingdom
- On this page
- 26 compliance obligations, 1 practical guide
What you must do
26 compliance obligations under this legislation.
Equipment and safety 6
Do not use non‑compliant underground cables
If you generate or distribute electricity, you must make sure any underground cables and associated equipment (outside your generating stations or substations) meet the required safety standards. You cannot use cables you know fail to meet those standards, so you need to inspect, test or replace them as necessary.
Ensure safety of your electricity equipment on customers’ premises
If you are an electricity distributor or meter operator, any of your equipment that sits on a consumer’s premises but is not controlled by the consumer must be safe. You must make sure it is fit for purpose, correctly installed and maintained, protected by a nearby fuse or circuit‑breaker, that the breaker is locked or sealed, that conductors are clearly marked for polarity, and that you provide the neutral or protective conductor for new low‑voltage connections where it is safe to do so.
Fit insulators on stay wires above 3 m
If you operate or maintain an overhead electricity line that has stay wires attached to a support (unless the support is a fully‑metal, earthed lattice structure), you must install an insulator on each stay wire. The insulator must be at least 3 metres clear of the ground and above the normal height of the line on that support.
Fit protective devices and safety signs on overhead line supports
If you own or operate a pole or tower that carries high‑voltage overhead lines (or low‑voltage lines with bare conductors), you must put in place physical devices to stop people getting too close whenever a real risk exists. You also have to display clear safety signs of the size and position set out in the Regulations to warn of the danger.
Install and maintain protective devices on your electricity network
Unlimited fineIf you generate or distribute electricity you must fit protective devices – such as fuses, circuit‑breakers or earth‑leakage protection – that, as far as reasonably practicable, stop current from flowing long enough to make any part of your network unsafe. In day‑to‑day terms you need to check your grid, install the right protection and keep it working properly.
Protect underground cables with mechanical guards and earthing screens
If your business installs, operates or maintains underground electricity cables that are not earthed, you must fit appropriate protection. Joints or terminations in low‑voltage systems need a mechanical guard, and every other part of the cable must have a continuous metallic screen that is earthed and positioned so that tools will hit the screen before they could touch the live conductor.
Inspections 1
Allow inspection and provide information to electricity regulator
If an inspector appointed under the Electricity Act wants to check your generators or distribution equipment, you must let them access the site and give them any information they ask for. In practice this means keeping the site accessible and having relevant records ready for the inspector.
Management duties 12
Earthing the neutral conductor in low‑voltage networks
If your company runs a low‑voltage electricity distribution network where the neutral and protective functions are combined, you must bond the neutral to earth at the furthest point from the source (and wherever else is needed) to minimise the risk of the neutral becoming open‑circuit. You must also ensure that this combined conductor is never connected to metalwork in caravans or boats.
Ensure continuity of neutral conductor and forbid protective devices
If you operate an electricity supply network, you must make sure the neutral conductor in your low‑voltage system is always continuous. You also must not install any protective device (e.g., fuses or breakers) in that neutral conductor or in its earthing connections. This is a continuous duty covering design, construction, maintenance and everyday operation of your network.
Ensure electrical equipment is safe, adequate and managed to prevent danger
Unlimited fineIf you operate or own generators, distributors or meter‑operating equipment, you must make sure the plant is fit for purpose and installed, protected and maintained so it does not create a risk of injury, supply interruption or environmental harm. You also need to assess and record any risk of vandalism or unauthorised access, keep those records up‑to‑date, take proportionate safeguards, inform the public about hazards near overhead lines and stop water or hazardous fluids from entering enclosed equipment.
Ensure metalwork associated with your electricity equipment is properly earthed
If you run electricity generation, distribution or meter‑reading services, you must make sure any metal parts that surround, support or are otherwise linked to your equipment (and are not live conductors) are connected to earth wherever needed to stop a safety hazard. The rule does not apply to certain metalwork on wooden poles or insulated brackets as described in the exemptions.
Ensure safe positioning, insulation and protection of overhead lines
Unlimited fineIf you own, operate or maintain overhead power lines, you must make sure any part that isn’t connected to earth is either mounted on insulators or insulated, and any part that could be reached by hand must be dead, well insulated or otherwise protected from damage. You also have to keep lines a safe distance from buildings, trees or other structures, and if you’re constructing a new building that could make a line reachable you must give the line owner reasonable notice.
Limit outage impact and prevent supply interruptions
If you operate an electricity distribution network, you must arrange the network and install fuses or automatic switching devices in the right places and set them correctly so that a fault affects as few customers as possible. You also need to take all reasonably practicable steps to stop supply interruptions that could be caused by your own actions.
Maintain safe clearance between overhead lines and vegetation
If you generate or distribute electricity, you must keep a sufficient distance between your overhead lines and any trees or other vegetation. This means regularly checking the clearances and trimming or removing growth that could cause a power cut or disruption.
Obtain distributor consent before making or altering electricity connections
If you want to connect a new electrical installation, change an existing one, install a street light or link to another network, you must first get permission from the electricity distributor. The distributor can only refuse if there are reasonable safety or standards reasons, and they must not withhold consent unreasonably.
Prevent parallel operation of alternative energy sources
If your business runs its own electricity source as a switched alternative to the grid, you must make sure it never operates at the same time as the supplier’s network. For low‑voltage installations on your premises, the whole installation must meet the relevant British Standard requirements.
Protect and clearly mark underground electricity cables
If your business owns or controls underground electricity cables you must make sure they are buried deep enough or otherwise protected so normal land‑use activities won’t damage them. For cables that are not connected to earth you also have to provide a protective duct, warning tape, tiles or another clear indicator so anyone digging knows a live cable is below.
Secure and signpost your substations and minimise fire risk
If your business owns or runs an electricity substation you must keep it safe. This means fencing it (or at least a 2.4 m high barrier around any open‑air live equipment), putting the correct safety and contact signs where they can be seen, and taking reasonable steps to reduce fire risk. The measures must be in place at all times.
Use only compliant overhead lines and keep voltage ≤ 400 kV
If you generate or distribute electricity, you must only operate overhead lines that meet the safety standards set out in these Regulations and you must not run them at a nominal voltage above 400,000 volts. In practice this means checking that each line is certified as compliant and that its voltage rating does not exceed the 400 kV limit before you put it into service.
Notifications 3
Declare electricity supply characteristics to consumers
Before you start supplying electricity to a customer’s installation, or if you change the way you supply it, you must tell the customer the exact number of phases, the frequency and the voltage you will provide, and the limits on how much those values can vary. This information must be given in writing before the supply begins or the change takes effect.
Notify the Secretary of State of major power interruptions
If you operate an electricity distribution network, you must tell the Secretary of State straight away when a big outage occurs – for example, a loss of 20 MW for at least three minutes, 5 MW for an hour or more, or a cut‑off affecting 5,000 customers for an hour or more. The notice must be in writing, include the details set out in Schedule 4, and be sent by the quickest practicable means.
Notify the Secretary of State of specified electricity events
If your business operates an electricity network (as a generator, distributor or meter operator) you must inform the Secretary of State whenever a serious incident occurs – such as a death, injury, fire, explosion or damage to equipment – that is linked to your network or a consumer's installation. The notice must be made immediately by phone for deaths/injuries and then followed up with a written report within the times set in the regulations.
Other requirements 1
Comply with Sec‑of‑State notice to stop or fix unsafe electrical assets
If the Secretary of State issues a notice because a network, piece of equipment or part of a consumer’s installation is unsafe or could cause interruptions, you must stop using it, make it dead, remove it or fix it as the notice tells you, and keep it that way until it meets the regulations or the notice is withdrawn. You can dispute the notice in writing, and a third‑party will review the dispute.
Offences and prohibitions 1
Fail to comply with electricity safety regulations
Unlimited fineIf you operate as an electricity generator, distributor, supplier, meter operator, or act as an agent, contractor or sub‑contractor for them, you must follow the relevant provisions of the Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations. Failing to do so – including breaches of specific regulations such as 18(3), 21, 22, 25(1), 8(4) or 34(2) – is a criminal offence. On summary conviction you can be fined up to an unlimited amount (level 5) by a magistrates’ court.
Record keeping 1
Keep up‑to‑date maps of underground electricity networks
If your company operates electricity cables or other networks below ground on land you don’t control, you must maintain a current map showing exactly where they are and how deep they lie. You also need to let the Secretary of State, local planning authorities or any authorised person inspect the maps and provide copies on request, and you may charge a reasonable fee for that service.
Reporting and filing 1
Provide required electrical supply information on request
If anyone with a reasonable reason asks for technical details about their electricity connection, your distribution company must give them a written statement. This must include the short‑circuit current, earth‑loop impedance, protective device details, earthing system type and any other information set out in regulation 27(1). You need to have this data ready and supply it promptly.
Penalties for non-compliance
4 penalties under this legislation. 4 carry an unlimited fine.
Install and maintain protective devices on your electricity network
Unlimited fine
Ensure electrical equipment is safe, adequate and managed to prevent danger
Unlimited fine
Ensure safe positioning, insulation and protection of overhead lines
Unlimited fine
Fail to comply with electricity safety regulations
Unlimited fine
Practical guidance
Our guides explain how to comply with the requirements above.
Sections and provisions
37 classified provisions from this legislation.
Duties 25
- s.3 General adequacy of electrical equipment distributors and meter operators
- s.6 Electrical protection leakage
- s.7 Continuity of the supply neutral conductor and earthing connections generator or distributor
- s.9 Protective multiple earthing a distributor
- s.10 Earthing of metalwork other requirement as
- s.11 Substation safety
- s.12 General restriction on the use of underground cables generator or distributor
- s.13 Protective screens tool or device likely
- s.14 Excavations and depth of underground cables underground cable
- s.15 Maps of underground networks generator or distributor
- s.16 General restriction on the use of overhead lines generator or distributor
- s.18 Position, insulation and protection of overhead lines
- s.19 Precautions against access and warnings of dangers
- s.20 Fitting of insulators to stay wires such line attached
- s.21 Switched alternative sources of energy he
- s.23 Precautions against supply failure A distributor
- s.24 Equipment on a consumer’s premises
- s.25 Connections to installations or to other networks dispute between a person
- s.27 Declaration of phases, frequency and voltage at supply terminals other distributor likely
- s.28 Information to be provided on request
- ... and 5 more duties