The ETCI National Wiring Rules Committee TC2 have made a change in the guidelines concerning the mandatory requirements which decide when the issue of an Industrial /Commercial Completion Certificate is required rather than a Small Commercial / Domestic Certificate.
At present the decision is based on whether CT’s (current transformers) are used by ESB Networks for metering a three phase installation. The change in approach is that the decision to issue the Industrial /Commercial Completion Certificate will now depend on the MIC i.e. Maximum Import Capacity of the installation. If the MIC is ≥ 50kVA then an Industrial /Commercial Completion Certificate will be required.
The reason for the change is due to the recent modifications in the certification process. This results in the electrical contractor sending the completed ETCI test certificate to their respective regulatory body who in turn check the certificate in question and if it is correct validate the certificate which enables ESB Networks to energise the relevant electrical installation. It is difficult/impossible for the regulatory body to establish the load capacity of every electrical installation presented for connection and this fact may result in a larger installation being incorrectly connected on the basis of an invalid certificate (e.g. domestic)
This change will produce the programme logic necessary to block the use of a domestic small / commercial certificate in situations where the correct certificate namely the Industrial /Commercial certificate should have been used.
There will be little difference in the actual impact on the ground because in nearly all instances ESB Networks will use CT’s when the MIC is specified as ≥ 50kVA. RECI will need to modify its software to accommodate this enhancement which will further improve the validation process.
This new arrangement will be operational on the el ctronic certificate system in the near future but it will take some time before new paper certificates are issued. It is expected that all completion certificates will be fully revised and updated to take account of the new requirements which the CER will dictate.