SaskPower Electrical Inspections
BULLETIN 01-2014
June 13, 2014
TO:
LICENSED ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS
SUBJECT:
GENERAL BULLETIN
Item #1 – Arc-Fault Receptacles, CEC Rule 26-722(f)
For the purposes of this Rule, an “outlet branch circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter” shall mean an
AFCI Receptacle or Faceless AFCI device.
1. For all newly constructed bedrooms or renovations/additions to existing bedrooms, an “outlet branch
circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter” may be used (instead of an AFCI breaker) when installed
within 1 meter of the electrical panel to feed the circuit.
2. For renovations/additions to existing bedrooms, or where a bedroom is formed in an area having
existing receptacles, when the circuit is fed with a 3-wire cable (making feeding the circuit with an
AFCI at the panel impossible), the existing branch circuit may be protected by an AFCI receptacle
installed at the first outlet of the circuit.
Item #2 – Supplementary Protectors, CEC Rule14-114
Inspectors have encountered supplemental protectors being used as overcurrent devices in industrial
control panels and other electrical applications. As a reminder to industry and per Rule 14-114 of the
Canadian Electrical Code Part 1, supplementary overcurrent protection shall not be used as a substitute
for branch circuit overcurrent devices or in place of branch circuit protective devices to protect a circuit.
Item #3 – Overhead Service Mast Alternatives, CEC Rule 6-112(4)
As an alternative to the “through bolt” requirement, under special circumstances, a unistrut support may
be allowed to be lag bolted to the exterior of the building (into structural members) for mast support. A
rigid 2 hole strap and spring nuts shall be used on the mast to secure it to the unistrut. This may be
allowed on a case by case basis, after review and acceptance by the local inspector. It should only be
considered when it is impractical or impossible to install the normal through bolt support.
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Item #4 – Certification and Inspection Body Table and Contact Listings Revisions, Rule CEC 2-024
A complete up-to-date listing of electrical Certification and Inspection body contacts and labels are
available on our website at http://www.saskpower.com/wp-content/uploads/electric_certification.pdf
Item #5 – Tamper Resistant Receptacles in Child Care Facilities, CEC Rule 26-700(12)
All receptacles of CSA Configuration 5-15R and 5-20R installed in a child care facility shall be tamperresistant receptacles. For the purpose of this rule, “child care facility” means a supervised area containing
one or more rooms intended for the designated use of providing educational and personal care services to
children 7 years of age or less. This includes, but is not limited to, day care facilities, schools, hospitals,
assisted care facilities, etc.
Item #6 – Ratings for Common Residential Services (Above and/or Below Ground Installations)
Replace page 26 of the Saskatchewan Interpretations with the below table and notes. This has been
approved by the Committee on Canadian Electrical Code, Part 1 and this table will be Table 39 in the
2015 CEC.
Table 39
Minimum permitted size for 3-wire 120/240 V and 120/208 V service conductors for single
dwellings, or feeder conductors supplying single dwelling units of row housing of apartment
and similar buildings and terminating on equipment having a conductor termination
temperature of not less than 75°C
Service or Feeder
Rating (A)
60
100
125
200
225
400
Copper
(See Note 3)
For Calculated
Conductor
loads up to *
Size
60 A
6 AWG
89 A
4 AWG
121 A
2 AWG
184 A
2/0 AWG
210 A
3/0 AWG
352 A
400 kcmil
Aluminum
(See Note 3)
For Calculated
Conductor
loads up to *
Size
53 A
6 AWG
95 A
2 AWG
125 A
1/0 AWG
189 A
4/0 AWG
215 A
250 kcmil
357 A
600 kcmil
*These ampacities are 75°C Table 2 and 4 ampacities increased by 5% in accordance with 8106(1). See Note 2
Notes:
(1) This Table applies only to conductors, sized in accordance with Rules 8-200(1), 8-200(2) and
8-202(1).
(2) The 5% allowance in Rule 8-106(1) cannot be applied to these values as the 5% allowance has
already been added to applicable 75°C ampacities from Tables 2 and 4.
(3) If the calculated load exceeds the limit shown in the table, the next larger size conductor shall
be used.
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Item #7 – Plans Review Requirements for Renewable Energy Systems, CEC Rule 2-014
Plans submission for renewable energy systems shall include, but not limited to, the following
requirements:
-
Land location/civic address;
A detailed site plan;
A detailed single line diagram drawing including size and rating of all cables/conductors, breakers,
fuses and disconnects;
Locations of all breakers, fuses and disconnects;
Grounding and bonding details drawing;
Distances of cable or conductor runs for voltage drop calculations;
Specific details of utility-interactive point of connection;
Make and model of all inverters, PV modules, PV combiner boxes or any other PV equipment being
installed;
Orientation/connection details of the PV strings and solar arrays;
Maximum open circuit voltage at the DC disconnect terminals; and
Maximum short circuit current at the DC disconnect terminals.
Item #8 – AFCI Protection for Photovoltaic DC Circuits, CEC Rule 50-014
Inverters with built-in Arc-fault protection are now available. Effective immediately, Rule 50-014 will be
enforced.
Item #9 – Commercial Garages-Repairs and Storage/Residential Storage Garages, Rules CEC 20-100 to
20-206
Rules 20-100 to 20-206 will be changed in the 2015 CEC to exclude “storage/parking garages”. Effective
immediately, we will no longer consider these areas to be hazardous and will not require the installation
of curbs or ramps in residential storage/parking garages, apartment buildings, condo garages, etc.
Item #10 – Motor Supply Conductor Insulation Temperature CEC Rule 28-104, Table 37
Inspectors have been encountering type “F” and type “H” motors in both residential and
commercial/industrial applications (example: heating circulating pumps, automotive car lifts). These
motors have an insulation temperature rating of 110 degrees Celsius and require a minimum of 110
degree Celsius conductors terminating on them. Note: BX cable is rated for 90 degrees Celsius
maximum.
As a reminder, subrule 28-104(2) states:
“(2) Where Table 37 requires insulation temperature ratings in excess of 75°C, the motor supply
conductors shall be not less than 1.2 m long and shall terminate in a location not less than 600 mm from
any part of the motor except that for motors rated 100 hp or larger, their terminations shall be not less
than 1.2 from any part of the motor.”
Item #11 – 2-022 Renovation of existing installations of the 2012 Saskatchewan Interpretations
Upgrading existing electrical
Where it is a renovation or repair work, if the walls are opened up or if cabinetry is removed/replaced,
then every effort shall be made to ensure that the electrical wiring and circuitry for all outlets be brought
up to the current electrical code. Electrical Inspections can be consulted for clarification on what is
required specifically to satisfy this policy.
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Item #12 – Hazardous Locations Sealing Diagrams, CEC Rule 18-108, Rule 18-154
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Thank you for your co-operation in this and all matters relating to public safety.
Mike Anderson, P. Eng., FEC
Chief Electrical Inspector and Director of Electrical Inspections
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SaskPower Operations
Hwy#6 North
Regina, SK
Canada S4P 0S1
Phone Toll-Free 1-888-757-6937
June 13, 2014
ATTENTION: ALL LICENSED ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS
Please take note of the below reminders from the SaskPower Operations department:
1) Disconnects for rewires require 48 hours’ notice. Please call 1-888-757-6937 and a CSR
will create and forward a notification to the appropriate business area. A district dispatcher
will call and set up a time for the disconnect and reconnect.
2) Energization Stickers. This is a general reminder that all services require an energization
sticker before the SaskPower district staff can install an electric meter. This means all
connections are to be complete to the main and the service is ready for energization.
Thank you for your attention to these items.
Yours truly,
Kelly Erhardt
Manager, Regina Operations