Pytorch | TensorFlow | JAX
IEEE Standards Association Public Review
Related Issues and Recent Research | Federal Legislation
This title sets the standard of care for construction, operation and maintenance of power and telecommunication infrastructure on the supply side of the point of common coupling. It is the first title to contemplate when weather disasters happen; with most public utilities bound to its best practice assertions by statute. Pre-print of Change Proposals for changes to appear in 2028 Edition will be available by 1 July 2025; with 24 March 2026 as the close date for comments on proposed changes.
Project Introduction for the 2028 Edition (2:39 minutes)
Changes proposals for the Edition will be received until 15 May 2024
Project Workspace: Update Data Tables in IEEE Recommended Practice for the Design of Reliable Industrial and Commercial Power Systems
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: Electrical Resource Adequacy
NARUC Position on NFPA (NEC) and IEEE (NESC) Harmonization
The standard of care for electrical safety at high and low voltage is set by both the NEC and the NESC. There are gaps, however (or, at best “gray areas”) — the result of two technical cultures: utility power culture and building fire safety culture. There is also tradition. Local system conditions and local adaptation of regulations vary. Where there is a gap; the more rigorous requirement should govern safety of the public and workers.
The 2023 National Electrical Safety Code (NESC)– an IEEE title often mistaken for NFPA’s National Electrical Code (NEC) — was released for public use about six months ago; its normal 5-year revision cycle interrupted by the circumstances of the pandemic. Compared with the copy cost of the NEC, the NESC is pricey, though appropriate for its target market — the electric utility industry. Because the 2023 revision has not been effectively “field tested” almost all of the available support literature is, effectively, “sell sheets” for pay-for seminars and written by authors presenting themselves as experts for the battalions of litigators supporting the US utility industry. Without the ability to sell the NESC to prospective “insiders” the NESC would not likely be commercial prospect for IEEE. As the lawsuits and violations and conformance interests make their mark in the fullness of time; we shall see the 2023 NESC “at work”.
Office of the President: Economic Benefits of Increasing Electric Grid Resilience to Weather Outages
Change Proposals are now being accepted from the public for revisions to the 2023 Edition of the National Electrical Safety Code® #NESC through 15 May 2024.
Learn more: https://t.co/jbxWtLPS6r pic.twitter.com/FRvZly1DoH
— IEEE Standards Association | IEEE SA (@IEEESA) April 11, 2024
“Science can amuse and fascinate us all, but it is engineering that changes the world.”
– Isaac Asimov pic.twitter.com/IDl3dWLVgn— World of Engineering (@engineers_feed) February 26, 2024
Research Tracks:
Reliability of Communication Systems needed for the autonomous vehicle transformation
Standards:
Presentation | FERC-NERC-Regional Entity Joint Inquiry Into Winter Storm Elliott
IEEE Guide for Joint Use of Utility Poles with Wireline and/or Wireless Facilities
NESC Rule 250B and Reliability Based Design
NESC Requirements (Strength and Loading)
Engineering Analysis of Possible Effects of 2017 NESC Change Proposal to Remove 60′ Exemption
Joint Use of Electric Power Transmission & Distribution Facilities and Equipment
A Framework to Quantify the Value of Operational Resilience for Electric Power Distribution Systems
Technologies for Interoperability in Microgrids for Energy Access
National Electrical Safety Code: Revision Cycles 1993 through 2023
February 24, 2023
The new code goes into effect 1 February 2023, but is now available for access on IEEE Xplore! Produced exclusively by IEEE, the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) specifies best practices for the safety of electric supply and communication utility systems at both public and private utilities. The bibliography is expanding rapidly:
NESC 2023: Introduction to the National Electrical Safety Code
NESC 2023: Safety Rules for Installation and Maintenance of Overhead Electric Supply
NESC 2023: Rules for Installation and Maintenance of Electric Supply Stations
October 31, 2022
The IEEE NESC technical committee has released a “fast track” review of proposed changes to fault-managed power system best practice:
CP5605 Provides a definition of new Fault Managed Power System (FMPS) circuits used for the powering of
communications equipment clearly defines what constitutes a FMPS circuit for the purposes of application of the NESC
Rules of 224 and 344
https://ieee-sa.imeetcentral.com/p/eAAAAAAASPXtAAAAADhMnPs
CP5606 Provides new definitions of Communication Lines to help ensure that Fault Managed Power Systems (FMPS)
circuits used for the exclusive powering of communications equipment are clearly identified as communications lines
and makes an explicit connection to Rule 224B where the applicable rules for such powering circuits are found.
https://ieee-sa.imeetcentral.com/p/eAAAAAAASPXpAAAAAFfvWIs
CP5607 The addition of this exception permits cables containing Fault Managed Power System (FMPS) circuits used for
the exclusive powering of communications equipment to be installed without a shield.
https://ieee-sa.imeetcentral.com/p/eAAAAAAASPXuAAAAAEEt3p4
CP5608 The addition of this exception permits cables containing Fault Managed Power System (FMPS) circuits used for
the exclusive powering of communications equipment to be installed without a shield.
https://ieee-sa.imeetcentral.com/p/eAAAAAAASPXvAAAAAGrzyeI
We refer them to the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee for further action, if any.
August 5, 2022
We collaborate closely with the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee (IEEE E&H) to negotiate the standard of care for power security on the #SmartCampus since many campus power systems are larger than publicly regulated utilities. Even when they are smaller, the guidance in building the premise wiring system — whether the premise is within a building, outside the building (in which the entire geography of the campus footprint is the premise), is inspired by IEEE Standards Association administrated technical committees.
Today we begin a list of noteworthy changes to be understood in the next few Power colloquia. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting.
After "slipping a pole" in its revision cadence (owed to the circumstances of the pandemic) the 2023 NESC is rolling out for incorporation by reference into public safety laws relevant to education communities with #WiseCampus ambitions.@ieee_pes @IEEESAhttps://t.co/7EaTBgxa8X pic.twitter.com/jPvZNYzWBi
— IEEECampus (@IEEECampus) August 5, 2022
February 18, 2021
Several proposals recommending improvements to the 2017 National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) were submitted to the IEEE subcommittees drafting the 2022 revision of the NESC. Some of the proposals deal with coordination with the National Electrical Code — which is now in its 2023 revision cycle. Keep in mind that that NESC is revised every 5 years at the moment; the NEC is revised every 3 years.
The original University of Michigan standards advocacy enterprise has been active in writing the NESC since the 2012 edition and set up a workspace for use by electrical professionals in the education industry. We will be using this workspace as the 2022 NESC continues along its developmental path:
The revision schedule — also revised in response to the circumstances of the pandemic — is linked below::
NESC 2023 Edition Revision Schedule*






The NESC is a standing item on the 4-times monthly teleconferences of the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities committee. The next online meeting is shown on the top menu of the IEEE E&H website:
We have a copy of the first draft of the 2023 NESC and welcome anyone to join us for an online examination during any of Power & ICT teleconferences. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting.
Business unit leaders, facility managers and electrical engineers working in the education facilities industry may be interested in the campus power system reliability database. Forced outages on large research campuses, for example, can have enterprise interruption cost of $100,000 to $1,000,000 per minute. The campus power system forced outage database discriminates between forced outages attributed to public utility interruptions and forced outages attributed to the university-owned power system. The E&H committee will convey some of the discipline applied by the IEEE 1366 technical committee into its study of campus power systems and, ultimately, setting a benchmark for the standard of care for large university power systems.
* The IEEE changed the nominal date of the next edition; likely owed to pandemic-related slowdown typical for most standards developing organizations.
Issue: [16-67]
Contact: Mike Anthony, Robert G. Arno, Lorne Clark, Nehad El-Sharif, Jim Harvey, Kane Howard, Joe Weber, Guiseppe Parise, Jim Murphy
Category: Electrical, Energy Conservation & Management, Occupational Safety
ARCHIVE: University of Michigan Advocacy in the NESC 2007 – 2017
The 2023 National Electrical Safety Code (#NESC) will be published this August. Stay tuned for new resources from #IEEE coming soon! Read about the upcoming changes here:https://t.co/VLXCNaf74S
— IEEE Educational Activities (@IEEEeducation) June 8, 2022
LEARN MORE:
P1366 – Guide for Electric Power Distribution Reliability Indices
University Design Guidelines that reference the National Electrical Safety Code
Today at 16:00 UTC we review best practice for engineering and installing the point of common coupling between an electrical service provider its and an purchasing — under the purview of NEC CMP-10.
Committee topical purviews change cycle-to-cycle. Here’s the transcript for today’s session: CMP-10 Second Draft Report (368 pages)
Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

The relevant passages of the National Electrical Code are found in Article 230 and Article 495. We calibrate our attention with the documents linked below. These are only representative guidelines:
University of Michigan Medium Voltage Electrical Distribution
Texas A&M University Medium Voltage Power Systems
University of Florida Medium Voltage Electrical Distribution
Representative standards for regulated utilities for purchased power:
Detroit Edison Primary Service Standards (Green Book)
American Electric Power: Requirements for Electrical Services
Pacific Gas & Electric Primary Service Requirements
The IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee curates a library of documents similar to those linked above.
Design of Electrical Services for Buildings
We are in the process of preparing new (original, and sometimes recycled) proposals for the 2026 National Electrical Code, with the work of Code Panel 10 of particular relevance to today’s topic:
First Draft Meetings: January 15-26, 2024 in Charleston, South Carolina
Electrical meter billing standards are generally regulated at the state or local level, with guidelines provided by public utility commissions or similar regulatory bodies. These tariff sheets are among the oldest in the world. There are some common standards for billing and metering practices, including:
Michigan Public Service Commission | Consumer’s Energy Customer Billing Rules
Technical Committee 64 develops the International Electrotechnical Commission consensus product that covers similar territory for the global electrical power industry as NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code). Keep in mind that the safety traditions of the NFPA suite of consensus products are inspired by fire safety considerations. IEC 60363 Electrical installations and protection against electric shock — the parent document that applies to the wiring systems of education and healthcare facilities — was inspired from voltage safety.
The scope of IEC 60364 is reproduced below:
– concerning protection against electric shock arising from equipment, from installations and from systems without limit of voltage,
– for the design, erection foreseeable correct use and verification of all kind of electrical installations at supply voltage up to 1 kV a.c or 1,5 kV d.c., except those installations covered by the following IEC committees: TC 9, TC 18, TC 44, TC 97, TC99
– in co-ordination with TC 99, concerning requirements additional to those of TC 99 for the design, erection and verification of electrical installations of buildings above 1kV up to 35kV.
The object of the standards shall be:
– to lay down requirements for installation and co-ordination of electrical equipment
– to lay down basic safety requirements for protection against electric shock for use by technical committees
– to lay down safety requirements for protection against other hazards arising from the use of electricity
– to give general guidance to IEC member countries that may have need of such requirements
– and to facilitate international exchanges that may be hampered by differences in national regulations.
The standards will not cover individual items of electrical equipment other than their selection for use. Safety Pilot Function: Protection against electric shock.
KUPDF Commentary on 60364 and comparisons with NFPA 70 National Electrical Code
Since neither the USNA National Committee to the IEC (USNA/IEC), nor the US Technical Advisory Administrator (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) has a workspace set up for responding to IEC 60364 calls for public comment, we set one up for ourselves several years ago for education facility and electrical engineering faculty and students:
IEC | USNA IEC Workspace | Updated 12 June 2023
Note that anyone in the world is welcomed to comment upon IEC documents, contingent upon obtaining (free) login credentials. To review the the strike-and-bold you will need login credentials. Alternatively, you may click in to the 4-times monthly teleconferences of the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting.
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jim Harvey, Massimo Mittolo, Giuseppe Parise
Power Management For Data Centers Challenges And Opportunities
Erling Hesla and Robert D. Giese
Abstract: This paper presents a broad view of management of design and implementation of power systems for Data Centers. The paper outlines many challenges that are present because of the demanding requirements of Data Centers both in design and management, then introduces opportunities that recent technological advances have made possible. This paper presents several new approaches of ownership and responsibilities that directly affect financial viability of the Data Center.
IEEE Education & Healthcare Facility Electrotechnology
Financial Presentations & Webcasts
Here we shift our perspective 120 degrees to understand the point of view of the Producer interest in the American national standards system (See ANSI Essential Requirements). The title of this post draws from the location of US and European headquarters. We list proposals by a successful electrical manufacturer for discussion during today’s colloquium:
2026 National Electrical Code
CMP-1: short circuit current ratings, connections with copper cladded aluminum conductors, maintenance to be provided by OEM, field markings
CMP-2: reconditioned equipment, receptacles in accessory buildings, GFCI & AFCI protection, outlet placement generally, outlets for outdoor HVAC equipment(1)
(1) Here we would argue that if a pad mount HVAC unit needs service with tools that need AC power once every 5-10 years then the dedicated branch circuit is not needed. Many campuses have on-site, full-time staff that can service outdoor pad mounted HVAC equipment without needing a nearby outlet. One crew — two electricians — will run about $2500 per day to do anything on campus.
CMP-3: No proposals
CMP-4: solar voltaic systems (1)
(1) Seems reasonable – spillover outdoor night time lighting effect upon solar panel charging should be identified.
CMP-5: Administrative changes only
CMP-6: No proposals
CMP-7: Distinction between “repair” and “servicing”
CMP-8: Reconditioned equipment
CMP-9: Reconditioned equipment
CMP-10: Short circuit ratings, service disconnect, disconnect for meters, transformer secondary conductor, secondary conductor taps, surge protective devices, disconnecting means generally, spliced and tap conductors, more metering safety, 1200 ampere threshold for arc reduction technology, reconditioned surge equipment shall not be permitted, switchboard short circuit ratings
CMP-11: Lorem
CMP-12: Lorem
CMP-13: Lorem
Lorem ipsum
2024 Update to ASHRAE Position Statements
List of Titles, Scopes and Purposes of the ASHRAE Catalog
The parent title of this standard is ASHRAE Standard 90.1: Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings and is continually under revision; frequently appearing in electrical engineering design guidelines, construction specifications, commissioning and O&M titles in our industry and others.
ASHRAE 90.4 defines an alternate compliance path, specific to data centers, while the compliance requirements for “non-data center” components are contained in ASHRAE 90.1 . The 90.4 structure also streamlines the ongoing maintenance process as well ensures that Standards 90.1 and 90.4 stay in their respective lanes to avoid any overlap and redundancies relating to the technical and administrative boundaries. Updates to ASHRAE 90.1 will still include the alternate compliance path defined in ASHRAE 90.4. Conversely the 2022 Edition of 90.4-2022 refers to ASHRAE 90.1-2022; cross-referencing one another synchronously
Links to noteworthy coverage from expert agencies on the 2022 revisions:
HPC Data Center Cooling Design Considerations
ASHRAE standard 90.4 updates emphasize green energy
ASHRAE updated its standard for data centers
How to Design a Data Center Cooling System for ASHRAE 90.4
Designing a Data Center with Computer Software Modeling
This title resides on the standing agenda of our Infotech 400 colloquium; hosted several times per year and as close coupled with the annual meetings of ASHRAE International as possible. Technical committees generally meet during these meetings make decisions about the ASHRAE catalog. The next all committee conference will be hosted January 20-24, 2024 in Chicago. As always we encourage education industry facility managers, energy conservation workgroups and sustainability professionals to participate directly in the ASHRAE consensus standard development process. It is one of the better facilities out there.
Start at ASHRAE’s public commenting facility:
Online Standards Actions & Public Review Drafts
Update: May 30, 2023
Proposed Addendum g makes changes to definitions were modified in section 3 and mandatory language in Section 6 to support the regulation of process heat and process ventilation was moved in the section for clarity. Other changes are added based on comments from the first public review including changes to informative notes.
Consultation closes June 4th
Update: February 10, 2023
The most actively managed consensus standard for data center energy supply operating in education communities (and most others) is not published by the IEEE but rather by ASHRAE International — ASHRAE 90.4 Energy Standard for Data Centers (2019). It is not required to be a free access title although anyone may participate in its development. It is copyrighted and ready for purchase but, for our purpose here, we need only examine its scope and purpose. A superceded version of 90.4 is available in the link below:
Third ISC Public Review Draft (January 2016)
Noteworthy: The heavy dependence on IEEE power chain standards as seen in the Appendix and Chapter 8. Recent errata are linked below:
We provide the foregoing links for a deeper dive “into the weeds”. Another addendum has been released for consultation; largely administrative:
ASHRAE 90.4 | Pages 60-61 | Consultation closes January 15, 2023.
It is likely that the technical committee charged with updating this standard are already at work preparing an updated version that will supercede the 2019 Edition. CLICK HERE for a listing of Project Committee Interim Meetings.
We maintain many titles from the ASHRAE catalog on the standing agenda of our Mechanical, Energy 200/400, Data and Cloud teleconferences. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.
Originally posted Summer 2020.
ASHRAE International has released four new addenda to its energy conservation consensus document ASHRAE 90.4-2016 Energy Standard for Data Centers. This document establishes the minimum energy efficiency requirements of data centers for design and construction, for the creation of a plan for operation and maintenance and for utilization of on-site or off-site renewable energy resources.
It is a relatively new document more fully explained in an article published by ASHRAE in 2016 (Click here). The addenda described briefly:
Addendum a – clarifies existing requirements in Section 6.5 as well as introduce new provisions to encourage heat recovery within data centers.
Addendum b – clarifies existing requirements in Sections 6 and 11 and to provide guidance for taking credit for renewable energy systems.
Addendum d – a response to a Request for Interpretation on the 90.4 consideration of DieselRotary UPS Systems (DRUPS) and the corresponding accounting of these systems in the Electrical Loss Component (ELC). In crafting the IC, the committee also identified several marginal changes to 90.4 definitions and passages in Section 8 that would add further clarity to the issue. This addendum contains the proposed changes for that aim as well as other minor changes to correct spelling or text errors, incorporate the latest ELC values into Section 11, and to refresh information in the Normative Reference.
Addendum e adds language to Section 11 intended to clarify how compliance with Standard 90.4 can be achieved through the use of shared systems.
Comments are due September 6th. Until this deadline you may review the changes and comment upon them by by CLICKING HERE
Education facility managers, energy conservation workgroups and sustainability professionals are encouraged to participate directly in the ASHRAE standard development process. Start at ASHRAE’s public commenting facility:
Online Standards Actions & Public Review Drafts
The ASHRAE catalog is a priority title in our practice. This title appears on the standing agenda of our Infotech sessions. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.







Issue: [12-54]
Category: Telecommunications, Infotech, Energy
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Robert G. Arno, Neal Dowling, Jim Harvey, Mike Hiler, Robert Schuerger, Larry Spielvogel
Proposed Addendum bx to Standard 90.1-2022, Energy Standard for Sites and Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings. This second independent substantive change draft addendum on laboratory ventilation. Consultation closes December 21.
Addendum av to ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2022, Energy Standard for Sites and Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings. This addendum creates more exacting provisions for envelope alterations. The new format is intended to better communicate the requirements, triggers, and allowances associated with performing an envelope alteration to promote energy efficiency within the impacted area(s). Consultation closes October 6.
ANSI Standards Action Weekly Edition | Given ASHRAE’s revision redlines are frequently uploaded here
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is an ANSI-accredited continuous-maintenance standards developer (a major contributor to what we call a regulatory product development “stream”). Continuous maintenance means that changes to its consensus products can change in as little as 30 days so it is wise to keep pace.
Among the leading titles in its catalog is ASHRAE 90.1 Energy Standard for Sites and Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings. Standard 90.1 has been a benchmark for commercial building energy codes in the United States and a key basis for codes and standards around the world for more than 35 years. Free access to ASHRAE 90.1 version is available at the link below:
READ ONLY Version of 2022 ASHRAE 90.1
Redlines are released at a fairly brisk pace — with 30 to 45 day consultation periods. A related title — ASHRAE 189.1 Standard for the Design of High Performance Green Buildings — first published in 2009 and far more prescriptive in its scope heavily references parent title 90.1 so we usually them as a pair because 189.1 makes a market for green building conformance enterprises. Note the “extreme prescriptiveness” (our term of art) in 189.1 which has the practical effect of legislating engineering judgement, in our view.
25 January 2023: Newly Released ASHRAE 90.1-2022 Includes Expanded Scope For Building Sites
ASHRAE committees post their redlines at the link below:
Online Standards Actions & Public Review Drafts
Education estate managers, energy conservation workgroups, sustainability officers, electric shop foreman, electricians and front-line maintenance professionals who change lighting fixtures, maintain environmental air systems are encouraged to participate directly in the ASHRAE consensus standard development process.







We also maintain ASHRAE best practice titles as standing items on our Mechanical, Water, Energy and Illumination colloquia. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.
Issue: [Various]
Category: Mechanical, Electrical, Energy Conservation, Facility Asset Management, US Department of Energy, #SmartCampus
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Larry Spielvogel, Richard Robben
Under Construction: ASHRAE WORKSPACE
More
ARCHIVE 2002-2016 / ASHRAE 90.1 ENERGY STANDARD FOR BUILDINGS
US Department of Energy Building Energy Codes Program
ASHRAE Guideline 0 The Commissioning Process
Why Software is Eating the World
* Many standards-developing organizations aim to broaden their influence by entering the product standard and certification domain. Although our primary focus is on interoperability standards (within a system of interoperable products), we also consider market dynamics when product performance specifications are incorporated by reference into public law.
This map shows how US households heat their homes. Source: https://t.co/FYhAQ4U9iV pic.twitter.com/Vyw02f7Wa2
— Simon Kuestenmacher (@simongerman600) December 18, 2024
Love data like this, even though I would set temperature at a different scale. I like it warm. pic.twitter.com/itJgsZWZlK
— Simon Kuestenmacher (@simongerman600) December 15, 2024
To paraphrase Marc Andreessen: “Building standards are eating the world and ASHRAE is eating building standards” (– Mike Anthony, University of Michigan). Just when you thought ASHRAE’s claim to energy regulation could not get any larger, it has recently appropriated everything *between* buildings in its scope — that means all above-ground pathway lighting, steam, hot water communication cabling tunnels, water pumps, fire protections systems; among others.
Best wiring safety practice for the illumination of educational settlement occupancies is scattered throughout the National Electrical Code with primary consideration for wiring fire safety:
We have done a fair amount of work on this topic over the years, including writing the chapter on campus outdoor lighting for the soon-to-be-released IEEE 3001.9 Recommended Practice for the Design of Power Systems Supplying Lighting Systems in Commercial and Industrial Facilities.
For our meeting please refer to the workspace we have set up for the 2026 Revision of the NEC:
We will pick through specifics in the transcripts of Code Making Panels 10 and 18.
International Building Code: Chapter 12 Section 1204 Lighting
The renovated Schwarzman Center at Yale now features dynamic new communal areas, a refreshed historic dining hall and eye-catching exterior lighting, enhancing the campus experience.
Details: https://t.co/XWw1UQR2eB | 📍New Haven, CT, US #ArchitizerAwards pic.twitter.com/mxGxdYw2NY
— Architizer (@Architizer) November 17, 2023
remember? pic.twitter.com/CnmHxXIYB6
— American Nostalgia (@AmericanNstlg) October 6, 2025
New update alert! The 2022 update to the Trademark Assignment Dataset is now available online. Find 1.29 million trademark assignments, involving 2.28 million unique trademark properties issued by the USPTO between March 1952 and January 2023: https://t.co/njrDAbSpwB pic.twitter.com/GkAXrHoQ9T
— USPTO (@uspto) July 13, 2023
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