INDIAN ELECTRICITY RULES

Rule 47: Testing of consumer’s installation.

1. Upon receipt of an application for a new or additional supply of energy and before connecting
the supply or reconnecting the same after a period of six months, the supplier shall inspect and
test the applicant's installation. The supplier shall maintain a record of test results obtained at
each supply point to a consumer, in a form to be approved by the Inspector.
2. If as a result of such inspection and test, the supplier is satisfied that the installation is likely to
constitute danger, he shall serve on the applicant a notice in writing requiring him to make such
modifications as are necessary to render the installation safe. The supplier may refuse to connect
or reconnect the supply until the required modifications have been completed and he has been
notified by the applicant

Rule 47A. Installation and testing of generating units:

Where any consumer or occupier installs a generating plant, he shall give a thirty days' notice of his
intention to commission the plant to the supplier as well as the Inspector :

PROVIDED that no consumer or occupier shall commission his generating plant of a capacity
exceeding 10KW without the approval in writing of the Inspector.]

Rule 54. Declared voltage of supply to consumer:

Except with the written consent of the consumer or with the previous sanction of the State
Government a supplier shall not permit the voltage at the point of commencement of supply as
defined under rule 58 to vary from the declared

voltage-.

(i) in the case of low or medium voltage, by more than 6 per cent; or

(ii) in the case of high voltage, by more than 6 per cent on the higher side or by more than 9 per
cent on the lower side; or

(iii) in the case of extra high voltage, by more than 10 per cent on the higher side or by more
than 12.5 per cent on the lower side:]

PROVIDED that in the case of high voltage, the voltage variation limit of 12.5 per cent may
continue till the 31st March, 1974.]

Rule 55. Declared frequency of supply to consumer:

Rule 56. Sealing of meters and cut-outs:

(1) A supplier may affix one or more seals to any cut-out and to any meter, maximum demand
indicator, or other apparatus placed upon a consumer's premises in accordance with section 26, and
no person other than the supplier shall break any such seal.

(2) The consumer shall use all reasonable means in his power to ensure that no such seal is broken
otherwise than by the supplier.

Rule 57. Meters, maximum demand indicators and other apparatus on consumer's premises:

(1) Any meter or maximum demand indicator or other apparatus placed upon a consumer's
premises in accordance with section 26 shall be of appropriate capacity and shall be deemed to correct
if its limits of error1[are within the limits specified in relevant Indian Standard Specification where no
such exists, error] do not exceed 3 per cent, above or below absolute accuracy at all loads in excess of
one tenth of full loads and up to full load:

[PROVIDED that for extra high voltage consumers the limit of error shall be ±1% .]

(2) No meter shall register at no load.

(3) Every supplier shall provide and maintain in proper condition such suitable apparatus as may be
prescribed or approved by the Inspector for the examination, testing and regulation of meters used or
intended to be used in connection with the supply of energy:

PROVIDED that the supplier may with the approval f the Inspector and shall, if required by the
Inspector, enter into a joint arrangement with any other supplier for the purpose aforesaid.

(4) Every supplier shall examine, test and regulate all meters, maximum demand indicators and
other apparatus for ascertaining the amount of energy supplied before their first installation at the
consumer's premises and at such other intervals as may be directed by the State Government in this
behalf.

(5) Every supplier shall maintain a register of meters showing the date of the last test, the error
recorded at the time of the test, the limit of accuracy after adjustment and final test, the date pf
installation, withdrawal, reinstallation, etc. for the examination of the Inspector or his authorised
representative

(6) Where the supplier has failed to examine, test and regulate the meters and keep records
thereof as aforesaid, the Inspector may cause such meters to be tested and sealed at the cost of the
owner of the meters in case these are found defective

Rule 77: Clearance above ground of the lowest conductor:

(1) No conductor of an overhead line, including service lines, erected across a street shall at any
part thereof be at a height less than-
(a) for low and medium voltage lines 5.8 metres
(b) for high voltage lines 6.1 metres

(2) No conductor of an overhead line, including service, lines, erected along any street shall at any
part thereof be at a height less than-
(a) for low and medium voltage lines 5.5 metres
(b) for high voltage lines 5.8 metres

(3) No conductor of an overhead line including service lines, erected else- where than along or
across any street shall be at a height less than-
(a) for low, medium and high voltage lines up to and including 11,000 volts, if bare ; 4.6
metres
(b) for low, medium and high voltage lines up to and including 11,000 volts, if insulated 4.0
metres 4.0 metres
(c) for high voltage lines above 11,000 volts 5.2 metres

(4) For extra-high voltage lines the clearance above ground shall not be less than 5.2 metres plus
0.3 metre for every 33,000 volts or part thereof by which the voltage of the line exceeds 33,000 volts:
PROVIDED that the minimum clearance along or across any street shall not be less than 6.1
metres.

Rule 79. Clearance from buildings of low and medium voltage lines and service lines:

(1) Where a low or medium voltage over-head line passes above or adjacent to or terminates on
any building, the following minimum clearances from any accessible point, on the basis of maximum
sag, shall be observed:-
(a) for any flat roof, open balcony, verandah roof and lean-to-roof-
(i) when the line passes above the building a vertical clearance of 2.5 metres from the highest
point; and
(ii) when the line passes adjacent to the building a horizontal clearance of 1.2 metres from
the nearest point, and

(b) for pitched roof-

(3) The horizontal clearance shall be measured when the line is at a maximum deflection from the
vertical due to wind pressure.

[Explanation-For the purpose of this rule, expression "building" shall be deemed to include any
structure, whether permanent or temporary .]

Rule 87:Lines crossing or approaching each other:

(1) Where an over-head line crosses or is in proximity to any telecommunication line, either the
owner of the over-head line or the telecommunication line, whoever lays his line later, shall arrange to
provide for protective devices or guarding arrangement, in a manner laid down in the Code of Practice
or the guideline prepared by the Power and Telecommunication Co-ordination Commitee and subject
to the provisions of the following sub-rules.

(2) When it is intended to erect a telecommunication line or an over-head line which will cross or be
in proximity to an over-head line or a telecommunication line, as the case may be, the person
proposing to erect such line shall give one- month ' s notice of his intention so to do along with the
relevant details of protection and drawings to the owner of the existing line.

(3) Where an over-head line crosses or is in proximity to another overhead line, guarding
arrangements shall be provided so as to guard against the possibility of their coming into contact with
each other. Where an over-head line crosses another over-head line, clearances shall be as under :

[Minimum clearances in metres between lines when crossing each other

Nominal
11-66 110-
S.No System 220KV 400KV 800KV
KV 132KV
Voltage

Low and
1. 2.44 3.05 4.58 5.49 7.94
medium

2. 11-66 KV 2.44 3.05 4.58 5.49 7.94

4. 220KV 4.58 4.58 4.58 5.49 7.94

5. 400KV 5.49 5.49 5.49 5.49 7.94

6. 800KV 7.94 7.94 7.94 7.94 7.94]

PROVIDED that no guardings are required when an extra-high voltage line crosses over another extra-
high voltage, high voltage, medium or low voltage line or a road or a tram subject to the condition
that adequate clearances are provided between the lowest conductor of the extra-high voltage line
and the topmost conductor of the overhead line crossing underneath the extra-high voltage line and
the clearances as stipulated in rule 77 from the topmost surface of the road is maintained.]

(4) A person erecting or proposing to erect a line which may cross or be in proximity with an existing
line, may normally provide guarding arrangements onhis own line or require the owner of the other
over-head line to provide guarding arrangements as referred to in sub-rule (3).

(5) In all cases referred to in the preceding sub-rules the expenses of providing the guarding
arrangements or protective devices shall be borne by the person whose line was last erected.]

(6) Where two lines cross, the crossing shall be made as nearly at right angles
as the nature of the case admits and as near the support of the lower line shall not be erected below
the upper line:

[PROVIDED that the angle of crossing of power lines shall not be less than 600.]

(7) The guarding arrangements shall ordinarily be carried out by the owner of the

supports on which it is made and he shall be responsible for its efficient maintenance.

(8) All work required to be done by or under this rule shall be carried out to the satisfaction Inspector.

Rule: 88. Guarding:

(1) Where guarding is required under these rules the provisions of sub-rules (2) to (4) shall apply.
(2) Every guard-wire shall be connected with earth at each point at which its electrical continuity is
broken.

(3) Every guard-wire shall be an actual breaking strength of not less than 635

(4) Every guard-wire or cross-connected system of guard-wires, shall have sufficient current-carrying
capacity to ensure the rendering dead, without risk of fusing of the guard-wire or wires till the contact
of any live-wire has been removed.

(5) Lines crossing trolley-wires-In the case of crossing over a trolley-wire the guarding shall fulfill the
following conditions, namely:-

(a) where there is only one trolley-wire, two guard-wires shall be erected as in diagram A;

(b) where there are two trolley-wires and the distance between them does not exceed 40 cms.,
two guard-wires shall be erected as in diagram B;

(c) where there are two trolley-wires and the distance between them exceeds 40cms. but does
not exceed 1.2 metres, three guar-wires shall be erected

(d) where there are two trolley-wires and the distance between them exceeds 1.2 metres, each
trolley-Wire shall be separately guarded as in diagram

(e) the rise of the trolley boom shall be so limited that if the trolley leaves the trolley-wire, it
shall not foul the guard, wires ; and

(f) where a telegraph-line is liable to fall or be blown down upon an arm, stay -wire or span-
wire, and so slide down upon a trolley-wire-, guard hooks shall be provided to prevent such sliding.