The IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA) will be hosting the National Electrical Safety Code® (NESC®) Workshop in June in San Antonio, Texas. This is the first in-person workshop in several years and is open for anyone to attend. As the definitive safety standard for more than a century, the NESC continues to be the authoritative code for ensuring the continued practical safeguarding of persons and utility facilities during the installation, operation, and maintenance of electric supply and communication facilities. The 2023 version, edited by IEEE SA, was published in August 2022, and became effective on February 1, 2023.
Revisions in the 2023 NESC are intended to provide clarity and ease of use, which point back to its purpose – safety. Goals of the revision process include modernizing and keeping the Code relevant, making it more intuitive and easier to understand, and accommodating the emergence of new technologies such as solar and wind energy, distributed energy/microgrids, batteries and energy storage, and wireless small cell networks.
NESC workshops are held once or twice during every NESC cycle (typically every five years). Workshops focus on fostering interactive and inclusive dialogue amongst about 200 participants who discuss and deliberate each revision proposal. Additionally, participants can expect to hear from keynote speakers about policy-making resiliency, how the NSC roles contribute to safety, removing power supplie,s and industry connections. In addition to meetings, participants will have a subcommittee where they will meet to discuss specific topics.
“At the NESC workshop, you can expect two days of compelling presentations from Subcommittee Chairs and well-known experts,” said Ernesto Vega Jánica, Senior Manager of Opportunities Development for IEEE Standards Association. “This year we can expect more speakers addressing how IEEE is contributing to global efforts to work with foreign national bodies, regulatory committees, and utilities on how the NESC has served as a reference for electrical safety standards development around the world. We will also issue a call for participation in the NESC program to encourage people to get more involved with having discussions around these specific topics and experts. This is a great experience to leverage your knowledge and connections in the safeguarding and technology sector.”
Order the 2023 NESC and Handbook Today
The 2023 NESC and handbook are available for purchase at the IEEE Standards store and available for subscription at the IEEE Xplore digital library.
Join Our Efforts!
The 2023 NESC is the product of hundreds of contributors and peer reviewers and the careful editing of the IEEE Standards Association.
To further address new technologies in subsequent editions of the Code:
- A new subcommittee was created focusing on generating stations, with the original subcommittee continuing to address substations.
- A working group is investigating Fault Managed Power Systems (FMPS) cables as the technology may be used for 5G networks. The team is looking at possible impacts including clearances and work rules.
- We also welcome your participation in these efforts. For more information, please visit standards.ieee.org where you can learn more information about the NESC and NESC Products. We welcome you to join our efforts by joining the NESC!
Ernesto Vega Jánica serves as Senior Manager of Opportunities Development for IEEE Standards Association. Recognized as the 2017 Fire Protection Engineer of the Year by the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), New Jersey Chapter; and awarded the 2011 Tyco Patent Prize as the author of a patent application on visual fire alarm notification devices, Vega Jánica has authored multiple technical papers and international presentations in the engineering fields, as well as in applications of optimization models. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Universidad del Norte and a Master of Science in Project Management from Escuela Colombiana de Ingenieria, in Colombia, South America, after which he earned a Master’s Degree in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland College Park. Vega Jánica is also an instructor of international standards.