2007 National Electrical Safety Code Now Available

By Consulting Specifying Engineer Staff September 19, 2006

The 2007 edition of the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) is now available from the IEEE. It covers electric power and communications supply lines and equipment, along with similar installations such as high-voltage power-distribution systems in industrial complexes.

Electric utilities, communications providers and state public utility commissions (PUCs) adopt the NESC as their wiring rules for high-voltage electrical systems, telephone systems, long-haul fiber-optic networks and similar outside plant installations. The NESC covers utility generation, transmission and distribution systems up to the service point, which is often a watt-hour meter. National Electrical Code (NEC) then covers premises wiring beyond the service point, within buildings and similar structures.

The NESC is used throughout the U.S. and in over 100 countries. It is updated every five years to reflect changes in the electrical and communications industries. The new 2007 edition has been updated in many ways, including:

Grounding of metal poles and structures

Clearances between electric transmission lines

Multiplex cable attachment to neutral brackets

Loading due to extreme wind and freezing rain

Equipment bonding

Electric-arc exposure analysis

Antenna radiation exposure limits

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