THE DEFINITIVE SAFETY STANDARD FOR THE NATIONAL

ELECTRICAL GRID AND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS

THE NATIONAL
ELECTRICAL
SAFETY CODE ®

(NESC ) ®
 Updated and published every five
years by The Institute of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and
approved by the American National
THE NESC
Standards Institute (ANSI), the NESC
has been in continuous use since
the first edition was issued in 1915.

The current edition of the NESC is available in digital, printed,

and mobile-app formats and is structured with initial sections
covering scope, purpose, and grounding methods, followed by
four main parts that contain specific rules for electric supply
stations, overhead lines, underground lines
and safety-related work practices. A companion document–
the NESC Handbook–is also available and provides users with
insights and commentary on the rules and how to apply them
from the experts who helped develop the Code.

From a code enforcement perspective, the NESC differs

substantially from the National Fire Protection Association’s
National Electrical Code® (NEC®) rules that apply to the
premises wiring in residential, commercial, and industrial
structures. The NESC is primarily applied by the nation’s
electric and communications utilities and may be adopted by
state regulatory commissions for investor-owned utilities.
The NEC primarily applies to installations of nonutility electrical
equipment, such as in-building wiring. The NEC code is
enforced largely by local building and electrical inspectors,
who are tasked with approving building electrical systems.

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NESC VALUE
THE NESC EMBODIES THE BASIC STANDARDS The NESC is focused on the end-to-end safety of utility systems
REQUIRED FOR THE SAFE INSTALLATION, from their point of origin (such as a power generating plant
OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF POWER or communications central office), across transmission and
AND COMMUNICATIONS UTILITY SYSTEMS. distribution facilities, and ending at the service point
(or communications network interface unit), which acts
to separate the supply side (or network side) coming from
As the definitive safety standard for more than a century,
the utility, to the premises side where the service is finally
the National Electrical Safety Code continues to be the go-to
utilized by the end-user.
resource for utility companies of all sizes and ownership
structures. Within the utility environment, the NESC is used The requirements within the NESC directly influence the
by individuals in a myriad of roles–business leadership, operations capital cost of new utility facilities, as well as guide how and
management, engineering and line design, crew supervisors, when maintenance is performed. As a further reflection of
and safety trainers to name just a few. its influence, the NESC is often used as a basis for the OSHA
rules that govern the construction and maintenance of power
The service utilities that depend on the National Electrical
supply and communications facilities, as well as the joint-use
Safety Code are also diverse, and include providers of power,
of structures, rights-of-way, and other facilities.
telecommunications, cable TV, wireless, and internet service, as
well as transportation providers such as railroads that look to the Although the National Electrical Safety Code is published as a
NESC for guidance on their railway power and signaling systems. voluntary standard in the United States, it is typically adopted
into law by individual state legislatures and public utility
Beyond utilities, there is a broad ecosystem of companies that
commissions and at the federal level for all cooperatives
are key users of the NESC. These stakeholders include the
financed by the Rural Utilities Service (USDA). Outside of
manufacturers of electrical equipment and associated product
the U.S., the NESC is also used as an authoritative reference
testing agencies, the consultants and contractors that assist in
in more than 100 countries around the world.
the design and construction of utility lines and infrastructure,
as well as the state and federal regulatory agencies that provide
industry oversight.

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4
VALUE
THE PURPOSE
Unlike many technical codes, the NESC is not intended to
provide explicit design specifications or step-by-step instructions.
Instead, it emphasizes practical guidance for safeguarding
workers and the public when in proximity to utility infrastructure
and equipment that includes overhead and underground
conductors, transformers, circuit breakers, and storage batteries.
Given its role as a safety code, the NESC underscores the
importance of hazard avoidance as the primary means for
achieving worker and public safety. In addition to emphasis
placed on the need for appropriate protective clothing for
workers, the NESC provides guidance and rules for specific
situations such as the effective grounding of circuits, and
maintaining minimum safe clearances between conductors
and the ground or nearby buildings.

THE BENEFIT
Renewable energy technologies like solar and wind are delivering
a steady stream of new distributed generation concepts and,
along with new technologies related to Smart Grid and distributed
energy resources, are changing the entire utility business model.
Moreover, the build out of 4G and 5G small cell antenna
systems that will enable the Internet of Things (IoT) and
autonomous vehicles depends largely on placing additional
attachments onto existing utility structures. The potential
impacts from all of this growth and expansion to our
professional and personal lives are very significant.

Just as it has done for more than a century, the NESC is

continuously evolving and being refined to embrace new
technologies while also addressing the opportunities and any
safety issues they present. Regardless of your company’s role in
the industry, this is clearly a time to be at the forefront of change.
Participation in the NESC will provide the opportunity to both
contribute–and benefit from–the non-stop innovation that is
impacting our society and economy.

5
 NESC INVOLVEMENT

CONSENSUS The NESC is a consensus standard that depends on the involvement of motivated
volunteers to provide the industry with accurate and impactful guidance. The NESC
code-making process is well defined and clearly structured, with guiding principles
that help ensure the inclusion of all viewpoints during an open and fair process
for reaching agreement and resolution.
Organizationally, the NESC has a central oversight Main Committee made up of a
well-balanced representation of member organizations, along with seven standing
technical subcommittees which are maintained to provide recommended revisions
to NESC rules for the Main Committee.
The technical subcommittees meet to create change proposals, consider change
proposals submitted by others, and are empowered to establish Working Groups
and Task Forces to conduct in-depth research on specific technical topics and issues.
The NESC’s core principles of inclusion and openness also extend to the public, with
any interested party being able to submit their ideas for a new rule or modification
of an existing rule. In addition to actively soliciting input from all NESC members,
an open comment period is built into each revision cycle to help ensure
the broadest possible set of perspectives.

SUBCOMMITTEE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY SECTION/PART

1 Scope, Purpose, Definitions & Sections 1, 2, and 3

Coordination

2 Grounding Methods Section 9

3 Electric Supply Stations Part 1

4 Overhead Line Clearances Part 2/Sections 20-23

5 Overhead Line Strength and Part 2/Sections 24-28

Loading

7 Underground Lines Part 3

8 Rules for Safeguarding Workers Part 4

and the Public

SHAPING THE FUTURE

These are very exciting times in the industry, with unprecedented levels
of technological change presenting huge opportunities as well as challenges
for all participants. As an NESC member, you can play a hands-on role in
helping to decide what the Code needs to be–both now and into the future.

If this sounds intriguing and you are up for a challenge at the cutting edge
of our industry, please visit ieeesa.io/nesc.

We look forward to hearing from you.

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NESC PRODUCTS
• NESC 2023 Edition
• NESC 2023 Handbook
• NESC 2023 eLearnings
• NESC 2017 Edition
• NESC 2017 Premier Edition Handbook
• NESC 2017 Handbook Spanish Translation
• NESC 2017 Handbook Chinese Translation
• Mobile App

For more details, links to purchase and subscribe

to updates on the NESC, visit ieeesa.io/nesc
For more information about organizational
access to the NESC, please contact
[email protected]

7
RAISING THE
WORLD’S
STANDARDS
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