Public Utilities (Electricity Supply) Regulations

Public Utilities Act

(Chapter 261, Sections 63 and 100)

Rg 3

REVISED EDITION 1990

(25th March 1992)

[2nd June 1975]

Citation

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Public Utilities (Electricity Supply) Regulations.

Definitions

2. In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —

“addition”, in relation to —

(a)

an electrical installation which is the subject of a licence issued under the Public Utilities (Licences to Use or Operate Electrical or Supply Installations) Regulations, means any addition requiring an additional load to an existing supply of electricity from the Board for the installation so that the total electricity supply from the Board would be in excess of the approved load granted by the Board in respect of that installation; or

[Rg 1.]

(b)

an electrical installation which is not the subject of the aforesaid licence, includes any switch with a rating greater than 13 amperes used to operate any apparatus, any socket-outlet or any lighting point in excess of the approved number of such switches, socket-outlets or lighting points contained in a consumer’s application for supply of electricity and any subsequent applications for extension or extensions to an existing supply;

“apparatus” means any electrical apparatus, including any machine, equipment or fittings, in which one or more conductors are used or of which they form a part;

“applicant” means a person who makes an application to the Board for a supply of electricity or an extension to an existing supply;

“Director of the Electricity Department” means the Director of the Electricity Department appointed under section 13(4) of the Act and includes any acting Director of the Electricity Department or any other officer duly authorised by the Director of the Electricity Department to act on his behalf;

“electrical installation” has the same meaning as in the Electrical Workers and Contractors Licensing Act [Cap. 89];

“electrical contractor” has the same meaning as in the Electrical Workers and Contractors Licensing Act;

“electrical worker” has the same meaning as in the Electrical Workers and Contractors Licensing Act;

“licensed electrical contractor” means a person who is licensed as an electrical contractor under the Electrical Workers and Contractors Licensing Act;

“licensed electrical worker” means a person who is licensed as an electrical worker under the Electrical Workers and Contractors Licensing Act;

“supply line” means an electric supply line through which electricity is, or is intended to be supplied to one or more consumers.

Board to supply electricity

3.—(1) The supply of electricity by the Board under the Act shall be by means of alternating current, at a frequency of 50 Hertz.

(2) The voltages of such supply at medium and low voltages shall be 400 volts 3 phase 4 wire, and 230 volts single phase respectively, such voltages being subject to a variation of plus or minus 6%.

(3) The Board may supply electricity at higher voltages than those specified in paragraph (2).

(4) The consumer shall pay to the Board the fees specified in the Schedule for fixing a meter and turning on the supply of electricity for a new supply line connection or for fixing a meter and turning on a supply or for turning on a supply for an existing supply line reconnection due to change of consumer.

Application for supply

4.—(1) An application for a supply of electricity or for an extension to an existing supply shall be made by a licensed electrical contractor or, in special cases approved by the Board, by a professional electrical engineer registered under the Professional Engineers Act [Cap. 253] (referred to in these Regulations as a registered electrical engineer) in such form as the Board may require.

(2) On approval of the application, the supply of electricity or the extension to an existing supply shall, subject to regulation 13, be made available by the Board.

(3) The Board may require the submission of plans and specifications for any supply of electricity or for any extension to an existing supply by a licensed electrical worker in accordance with the Electrical Workers and Contractors Licensing Regulations.

[Rg 1.]

Substation to be provided

5.—(1) Where an application for a supply of electricity under regulation 4 necessitates the provision of a substation, the site, structure and design of the substation shall be approved by the Board before the substation may be used or operated.

(2) The substation and the site shall be provided by and at the cost of the applicant and shall, whenever required by the Board, be conveyed, assigned or transferred to the Board free of charge.

(3) The Board may utilise the substation and site in such manner as it thinks fit.

Supply lines

6.—(1) An applicant for a supply of electricity shall pay in advance for the cost of installing every required supply line.

(2) The Board may utilise the supply line in such manner as it thinks fit.

Position of meters and equipment

7.—(1) The Board shall determine the point at which every supply line shall terminate in any premises which is supplied or shall be supplied with electricity.

(2) At every point in the premises at which any supply line or lines terminate, the person who makes an application for a supply of electricity in respect thereof under regulation 4 shall provide such meter boards as the Board may require for the installation of the Board’s meters and their accessories.

(3) All necessary and adequate rising or horizontal, or both rising and horizontal mains in the premises shall be provided, maintained and repaired by the owner or occupier thereof at his own expense.

(4) Circuit breakers, main switches and any other devices intended for the control of such electricity shall be provided, installed and maintained by the owner or occupier at his own expense.

(5) No person shall, except with the prior permission of the Board, use any motor which exceeds 2.238 kilowatts.

(6) A consumer shall provide at his own expense such current transformer or transformers and voltage transformer or transformers as the Board may require for the purpose of metering or ensuring the safe use of any electricity supplied to him by the Board.

(7) The Board may change any meter or its position in any premises to which electricity is supplied by the Board or install such meter as it thinks necessary.

Assessment of consumption when meter is faulty

8. Where a meter is faulty or where its registration does not show accurately the amount of electricity supplied to the premises where it is installed, the amount of electricity consumed in the premises during the period when the meter was faulty or inaccurate shall be assessed by the Board.

Loss of or damage to meters

9. Where a meter belonging to the Board is installed in any premises in such a way that access to the meter can only be made with the consent of a consumer, the consumer shall be liable for any loss of or damage to the meter through no fault of the Board or an authorised officer.

Testing of meters

10.—(1) If a consumer disputes the accuracy of any meter of the Board which is used to measure the electricity supplied to him the consumer may request the Board to test the meter.

(2) If, on testing the meter, it is found to be inaccurate by more than 2½%, the Board shall repair or replace the meter and the amount of electricity used during the period when the meter was inaccurate shall be assessed by the Board and the Board’s assessment shall be final.

(3) If a consumer further disputes the accuracy of such meter, he may, on payment of the fee specified in the Schedule, request the Board for a further test.

(4) If the test confirms that the meter is found to be inaccurate by more than 2½%, any fee paid by the consumer under paragraph (3) shall be refunded to him.

Property of Board

11.—(1) All supply lines, meters, equipment, accessories and ancillary apparatuses belonging to the Board and installed on or in any premises for the purpose of supplying electricity to a consumer shall remain the property of the Board.

(2) If a consumer, without the prior permission of the Board, connects an apparatus or equipment to his electrical installation and thereby causes damage to any property of the Board, the consumer shall pay to the Board the cost of repairing or replacing the damaged property and the Board shall not be liable for any consequential loss or injury sustained by the consumer or any other person.

Removal of property of Board

12. A consumer shall, before vacating or demolishing any premises at which electricity is supplied to him, give the Board not less than 7 days’ notice in writing of the vacation or demolition and in default of the notice, the consumer shall be liable to pay to the Board for any electricity supplied at the premises up to the time when the readings on every meter on or in the premises are next ascertained or where the premises are vacated, the date from which any subsequent occupier of the premises may request the Board to supply electricity to the premises, whichever is the earlier.

Approval of electrical installations

13.—(1) No electrical installation shall be connected to any of the Board’s supply lines and no re-wiring of or addition to an electrical installation already connected thereto shall be made until an application for a supply of electricity or an extension to an existing supply thereof is made in respect of the installation under regulation 4(1) and the application has been approved by the Board.

(2) No electrical installation intended for connection to any of the Board’s supply lines and no re-wiring of or addition to an electrical installation already connected thereto shall be made by any person except a licensed electrical contractor or, in special cases approved by the Board, by a registered electrical engineer.

(3) Where an electrical installation intended for connection to any of the Board’s supply lines is installed or a re-wiring or an addition is made to an electrical installation already connected thereto, the consumer for whom the installation, re-wiring or addition is done shall —

(a)	through a licensed electrical contractor or, in special cases approved by the Board, through a registered electrical engineer, request the Board; or
(b)	request an appropriate grade of licensed electrical worker as the Board may authorise from time to time,

to test the electrical installation.

(4) Where any high voltage transformer, high voltage cable, low or high voltage circuit breaker or any high voltage equipment is used in the electrical installation, the Board may test the transformer, cable, circuit breaker or equipment and the consumer shall bear the cost of any such test.

(5) In the case of an electrical installation other than any of those specified in paragraph (4), the Board may make one test and inspection free of charge.

(6) If after the first test and inspection the electrical installation referred to in paragraph (5) is found to be unsafe for use or operation or the installation is found not to be ready for testing after an application is made under paragraph (3), the fee specified in the Schedule shall be payable by the applicant for every subsequent test thereof.

(7) The Board may require the owner of any electrical installation to employ or engage such licensed electrical worker as the Board may direct to test and certify the installation at such intervals as the Board may determine and the owner shall comply with the requisition at his own expense.

(8) The Board shall not be liable or responsible for any accident that may occur at an electrical installation or any part thereof which complies with these Regulations and has been inspected, tested and licensed by the Board under the Act.

(9) No electricity supplied by the Board shall be taken from a supply line until —

(a)	a contract for the supply has been entered into with the Board under section 16(1) of the Act;
(b)	every electrical installation connected to the supply line has been inspected and tested either by the Board or by an appropriate grade of licensed electrical worker as the Board may authorise from time to time; and
(c)	all the fees payable under the Act in respect of the supply of electricity or installation have been paid.

Power to disconnect and refusal to connect

14.—(1) Where an electrical installation is connected to any of the Board’s supply lines, or a re-wiring or an addition to an electrical installation already connected thereto is made in contravention of regulation 13(1) or (2), the installation shall be disconnected by the Board from every supply of electricity thereof.

(2) The Board may disconnect or refuse to connect an electrical installation or any part thereof to its supply lines, if, in the opinion of the Board, the installation or part is unsafe to use or operate; and the Board’s decision shall be final.

(3) The Board may require a consumer to make such adjustments or alterations —

(a)	to an electrical installation used or operated by him; and
(b)	in the operation thereof,

as the Board considers necessary, if the installation is likely to cause undue interference with the supply of electricity to other consumers or electrical installations.

(4) The Board shall charge a fee as specified in the Schedule for reconnecting any supply line through which electricity may be supplied which line may have been lawfully disconnected by reason of any default of the consumer under the Act or any other Act and regulations made thereunder.

Failure of supply of electricity to consumers

15.—(1) If at any time, a supply of electricity to a consumer’s premises should fail, the Board shall attend to the failure at the request of the consumer.

(2) No charge shall be made for any rectification of the failure of the supply if the failure is due to a fault in any supply line, apparatus or equipment of the Board.

(3) If the failure of such supply is due to a defect in an electrical installation of the consumer, the Board may refuse to rectify the defect.

(4) Notwithstanding such refusal, the consumer shall pay to the Board the fee specified in the Schedule for every attendance made by the Board under this regulation.

Penalty

16. Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with regulation 7(5) or 13 shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 and in the case of a continuing offence to a further fine not exceeding $150 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction.

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