CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) has made it mandatory to install ‘Residual Current Device’ on new single-phase and three-phase connections to houses, shops, industries, hospitals, parks, street lights, temples, schools, and colleges. The device helps prevent electrical accidents and loss of lives, according to the commission. The TNERC has notified new provisions in this regard in the Tamil Nadu Electricity Distribution Code.
The device, considered life-saving by TNERC, instantly breaks an electrical circuit in the event of an accident, preventing serious harm to the victim. During supply installation for loads exceeding 10 KW (for big shops, malls, hospitals, godowns, large scale industries), a common RCD must be installed at the point of supply with rated residual operating current of 300 milliampere, according to TNERC guidelines.
To avoid tripping in larger installations and to prevent loss of lives, circuits should be sub-divided according to loads, floors, or building portions. An independent RCD should be installed for each sub-divided circuit, so that lives in each portion of the building would be protected in the event of an electrical fault.