Wesco.ie | New Electrical Wiring Rules

Monday 30th November -0001

Transition Period for New Electrical Wiring Rules for Electrical Contractors

Ireland’s new National Rules for Electrical Installations (previously referred to as the National Wiring Rules) have been published by the NSAI.  The document is the first major revision to the standard in over 10 years and is based on internationally agreed standards for safety of electrical installations. 

The new standard, also known as I.S. 10101:2020, will replace ET 101:2008, and has been produced by industry experts who sit on the NSAI’s Electro Technical Committee (ETC/TC 2) “Electrical Installations”.  The standard includes requirements for design and installation of all types of installations including  housing, hospitals, agricultural buildings, caravans, construction sites, industrial premises and swimming pools.

Rule 527 of I.S. 10101:2020 affects the type of cables that must now be installed with a minimum requirement of Dca, s2,d2,a2. This will see traditional twin & earth, PVC singles, PVC/PVC, NYM-J, data cables, alarm cables and coaxial cables being replaced with LSF versions to meet the new requirements.
Wesco Electrical have a full range of I.S.10101:2020 compliant cables in stock including LSF Twin & Earths, 6491B singles, LSF SWA, NHXMH-J, LSF flexes and data cables. 

The CRU had decided on a transition period of 24 months to enforce compliance with the new standard. However, transition deadline dates have been delayed by 4 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, the total transition timeline will be extended to 28 months. The following applies to all restricted and controlled electrical works in either commercial or domestic properties:

The transition period began from 1 April 2020. Electrical installations may be designed to the new standard from this date.
After ten months (from 1 February 2021), all new electrical installations must be designed and certified to the new standard.
After 28 months (from 1 August 2022), all electrical installations must be certified to the new standard.
Installations may be designed to the old standard until 31 January 2021, provided they are certified to at least a pre-connection stage by 31 July 2022.

For further details about transition arrangements and I.S. 10101:2020, please refer to the Safe Electric website here.
Information on the most important technical changes will be published by Safe Electric on their website at a later date.

For technical queries on the new standard from a Registered Electrical Contractor, please Safe Electric or your Safe Electric Inspector.
All other queries should be directed to the NSAI here.

Summary of Key Dates

2020
  • 1 April 2020: New electrical installations may be designed and certified to the new standard

2021
  • 31 January 2021: This is the last day new electrical installations may be designed to the old standard (such installations must be certified by 31 July 2022)
  • 1 February 2021: New electrical installations must be designed to the new standard

2022
  • 31 July 2022: This is the last day an installation may be pre-connection certified to the old standard (such installations must have been designed by 31 January 2021)
  • 1 August 2022: Electrical installations must be certified to the new standard.

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