OAR 918-261-0030: Board Exemption and Interpretation Regarding Overhead and Underground Electrical Power Lines and Equipment

(1) Licensing exemption for municipality owned or operated powerlines for transmission or distribution of electricity to the point of service. An exemption is created from the requirements of the Electrical Specialty Code, for permits, compliance inspections, licenses or product certification for overhead and underground electrical power lines for transmission or distribution of electricity to the point of service and related equipment owned or operated by a municipality. (2) Interpretation regarding privately owned power lines. Overhead or underground electrical power lines and equipment owned or operated by a private party that is not a utility or municipality, and utilities who contract to manage private systems are regulated by the Electrical Specialty Code. This means the division and municipalities shall require permit and inspection, Electrical Specialty Code compliance, and electrical contractor licensing. The licensing exemption for qualified personnel working for the electrical contractor principally engaged in the business of installing and maintaining these systems is in ORS 479.540. Product certification is required for products used in a system that generates and distributes electricity unless the following conditions are satisfied: (a) The system is designed and stamped by an Oregon-licensed professional electrical engineer; (b) The system meets NESC standards; (c) All plan reviews, design specifications, permits and inspections are reviewed and approved by the authority having jurisdiction; (d) The owner and the operator meet the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission definition of a "wholesale generator"; (e) The system is connected to a utility grid and that connection is for the sole purpose of generating and selling electrical power; (f) The individual turbines are 25 kW or larger and the system is 10 megawatts or larger; and (g) All generation and distribution systems undergo startup and commissioning by qualified personnel prior to being placed in operation. [Publications: Publications referenced are available from the agency.]