CEA Releases Draft Electrical Safety Standards List

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has released a draft list of relevant standards under Regulation 137 of the CEA (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Amendment Regulations, 2026.

The amendment regulations, notified earlier this year, introduced a new Chapter XA covering safety requirements for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), along with changes to other electrical safety provisions. The provisions are scheduled to come into force from April 1, 2027.

Regulation 137 requires the CEA to issue a separate list of relevant standards to establish the standards applicable for compliance with the safety regulations.

The draft list covers Indian Standards as well as international standards issued by organisations including the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

The standards cover general electrical safety, buildings and electrical installations, high-voltage installations, transmission and distribution systems, renewable energy and emerging technologies.

For general electrical safety, the list covers working tools, insulation, earthing and personal protective equipment, including safety belts, non-conductive ladders and rubber insulating gloves.

For buildings and electrical installations, the draft covers fire safety, wiring and residual current devices. It specifies Fire Retardant Low Smoke (FRLS) cables for buildings above 15 metres, while Halogen Free Flame Retardant (HFFR) cables are specified for sensitive facilities such as hospitals and airports.

For high-voltage installations, the standards cover substations above 650 V, including safety clearances, transformer fire barriers and automatic firefighting systems.

The transmission and distribution section includes standards related to line joints, tower stress limits, anti-climbing devices and lightning protection.

The draft also covers renewable energy and emerging technologies, including solar installations, BESS, electric vehicle charging, high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems and gas-insulated switchgear (GIS).

For solar installations, the standards cover lightning protection, surge protective devices and fire detection. BESS-related standards address thermal runaway, fire suppression, HVAC ventilation and electrolyte spill containment.

The CEA has invited stakeholders and members of the public to submit comments, suggestions and feedback on the draft list by November 15, 2026, as part of the public consultation process.