Licence required for use or operation of electrical or supply installation, etc.
67.—(1) No person may —(a)
use, work or operate or permit to be used, worked or operated any electrical or supply installation; or
(b)
supply to or for the use of any other person electricity from any electrical or supply installation,
except under and in accordance with the terms of an electrical or a supply installation licence granted by the Authority under this section authorising such use, work, operation or supply.
(2) An electrical or a supply installation licence may be granted under this section on the payment of such fee (if any) as may be prescribed.
(3) An electrical or a supply installation licence must not be transferred without the approval of the Authority.
(4) An electrical or a supply installation licence is subject to such conditions as may be prescribed and to such further conditions (if any) as may be imposed and endorsed on the licence by the Authority.
(5) An electrical or a supply installation licence may be for such period as the Authority may approve.
(6) In every electrical or supply installation licence, there is to be specified as may be appropriate —(a)
the installation area;
(b)
the declared voltage frequency and the variations permitted thereon; and
(c)
any other matters that the Authority may consider desirable.
(7) The Authority may, in its discretion, require that, before the grant of any electrical or supply installation licence, such security as it may specify must be furnished to ensure the due observance of the terms and conditions of the licence and of the provisions of this Act.
(8) An electrical or a supply installation licence may be surrendered by the licensee to the Authority for cancellation if the electrical or supply installation is no longer required to be used.
(9) Where the licensee wishes to operate the electrical or supply installation after the surrender of the licence, the installation must be treated in all respects as if it were a new electrical or supply installation.
(10) Any electrical or supply installation licence issued under the Public Utilities Act (Cap. 261, 1996 Revised Edition) in force immediately before 1 January 2003 continues in force until suspended or revoked and is deemed to have been issued under this Act.
Notice to electricity licensee to cut off supply
68.—(1) Where any person operates an electrical or a supply installation without an electrical or a supply installation licence —(a)
the Authority may by written notice direct any electricity licensee to forthwith discontinue the supply of electricity to that electrical or supply installation; and
(b)
the electricity licensee must, upon receipt of the notice, immediately comply with the notice.
(2) Where the Authority has directed an electricity licensee to discontinue a supply of electricity under subsection (1), the licensee may discontinue the supply until all expenses incurred by the licensee are fully paid by the person operating the electrical or supply installation.
Supply lines and other apparatus on State land
69.—(1) Subject to the approval of the Commissioner of Lands and to such conditions as he or she may impose, an electrical or a supply installation licence may authorise the licensee to lay, place or carry on, under or over any State land to the extent and in the manner specified in the licence, such supply lines, and to erect and maintain in or on the State land such posts and other apparatuses as may, in the opinion of the Authority, be necessary or proper for the purposes of the electrical or supply installation.
(2) Any authorisation under subsection (1) may be given or added to at any time during the currency of the licence by endorsement thereon.
(3) All apparatuses placed in or upon any State land which is not removed therefrom within 6 months, or such longer period as the Commissioner of Lands may permit, after the expiration or earlier determination of the licence under the authority of which the apparatus was so placed, are to vest in and become the property of the Government.
Existing electrical or supply installation
70. All electrical and supply installations which have been operated or the construction of which has been completed or has begun on or before 1 January 2003 are subject to this Act.
Exemption of certain electrical or supply installation
71. The Authority may, by notification in the Gazette, exempt from all or any of the provisions of this Part —(a)
any electrical or supply installation owned and operated by an electricity licensee, the Government or any statutory authority;
(b)
any electrical or supply installation used exclusively for domestic purposes; or
(c)
any other electrical or supply installations that the Authority may consider desirable.
Control by electrical worker
72.—(1) A person granted an electrical or a supply installation licence must employ or appoint such class or classes of electrical workers as the Authority may direct to operate or to be in charge of or to control any electrical or supply installation and no other person may operate or be in charge of or control the electrical or supply installation.
(2) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $250 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues after conviction.
Inspection of electrical or supply installation
73.—(1) A person granted an electrical or a supply installation licence must cause all electrical or supply installations owned or operated by the person to be inspected at such intervals as the Authority may consider necessary.
(2) An inspection referred to in subsection (1) must be carried out by such class or classes of electrical workers as the Authority may direct.
(3) On completion of the inspection, a certificate as to the fitness of the electrical or supply installation for licensing purposes must be issued by the electrical worker who carried out the inspection.
Restriction of use to specified purpose
74.—(1) A person granted an electrical or a supply installation licence who is, by the conditions of the person’s licence, restricted to using or supplying electricity for specified purposes only, must not use or supply electricity for any purpose other than those specified.
(2) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence.
Procedure in case of defect in electrical or supply installation
75.—(1) Every electrical worker appointed to operate or to be in charge of or to control any electrical or supply installation and every person granted an electrical or a supply installation licence who becomes aware of a defect in any electrical or supply installation must forthwith make good or remove the defect or make a report thereon to the Authority.
(2) Where a report is made to the Authority under subsection (1), the Authority may by notice —(a)
posted on the premises where the electrical or supply installation is installed or working; or
(b)
served on the person granted an electrical or a supply installation licence or the electrical worker who is appointed to operate or to be in charge of or to control the electrical or supply installation (as the case may be),
require the defect to be made good or removed within such period as may be specified in the notice, and the electrical or supply installation must not be operated or used after the expiration of that period unless the defect has been made good or removed to the satisfaction of the Authority.
(3) If the Authority is of the opinion that the defect is likely to cause immediate danger, the Authority may, by notice posted or served in the manner specified in subsection (2), forthwith suspend the operation and use of the electrical or supply installation until the defect is made good or removed, and the electrical or supply installation must not be operated or used so long as the notice of suspension remains in force.
(4) The Authority is not liable for the loss or damage caused to any person —(a)
by the suspension of the operation and use of any electrical or supply installation under this section; or
(b)
by the suspension or revocation of an electrical or a supply installation licence under section 76.
(5) Any person who contravenes subsection (1), (2) or (3) shall be guilty of an offence.
Suspension and revocation of electrical or supply installation licence
76. An electrical or a supply installation licence may at any time be suspended or revoked by the Authority —(a)
on breach of any of the conditions of the licence or for non‑compliance with any of the provisions of this Act;
(b)
in default of payment of any money due; or
(c)
if the licensee ceases to work or operate any electrical or supply installation in respect of which the licence was granted.
Entry upon premises
77.—(1) Subject to subsection (2), an authorised officer may, in the performance of his or her functions and duties under this Act, enter upon any premises in or upon which any electrical or supply installation may be, at all reasonable hours of the day and at any time when the electrical or supply installation is in operation.
(2) The authorised officer seeking to enter any premises under subsection (1) must carry and produce on demand an official identification card or badge in such form as the Authority may direct.
(3) No person is obliged to admit into the person’s premises any person purporting to be an authorised officer except upon production of such identification card or badge.
Authority not liable for operation of electrical or supply installation
78. Despite the grant of an electrical or a supply installation licence, the Authority is not responsible for the operation or maintenance of any electrical or supply installation or for any injury to any person or damage to anything by reason of operating or omitting to operate or maintaining or omitting to maintain any electrical or supply installation.
Cable detection work to be carried out before earthworks
79.—(1) Subject to subsection (2), no person may commence or carry out, or cause or permit the commencement or carrying out of, any earthworks within the vicinity of any low voltage electricity cable which belongs to or which is under the management or control of an electricity licensee unless the person has caused cable detection work to be carried out by a licensed cable detection worker.[42/2018]
(2) Nothing in subsection (1) prohibits a person from commencing or carrying out any earthworks where the person has reasonable cause to believe that it is necessary to do so in the interest of public or private safety except that the person must, not more than 7 days after the earthworks have been commenced or carried out, give to the electricity licensee written notice stating the nature and extent of those earthworks.
(3) Subsection (1) does not prohibit an electricity licensee from commencing or carrying out earthworks within the vicinity of any low voltage electricity cable that belongs to or that is under the management or control of the electricity licensee.[42/2018]
(4) No person other than a licensed cable detection worker or an electricity licensee may commence or carry out any cable detection work within the vicinity of any low voltage electricity cable belonging to or under the management or control of the licensee where such cable detection work is commenced or carried out in connection or combination with or in relation to any earthworks carried out or to be carried out.
(5) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) or (4) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.
Carrying out of earthworks within vicinity of high voltage electricity cable
80.—(1) Subject to this section, no person may commence or carry out, or cause or permit the commencement or carrying out of, any earthworks within the vicinity of any high voltage electricity cable which belongs to or which is under the management or control of an electricity licensee unless the person —(a)
has given to the electricity licensee not less than 7 days’ written notice of the date on which it is proposed to commence the earthworks;
(b)
has obtained from the electricity licensee the necessary information on the location of such high voltage electricity cable and has consulted the electricity licensee on the steps to be taken to prevent the high voltage electricity cable from damage while the earthworks are being carried out; and
(c)
has caused cable detection work to be carried out by a licensed cable detection worker in order to confirm the location of the high voltage electricity cable.[18/2006; 42/2018]
(2) No person other than a licensed cable detection worker may commence or carry out any cable detection work within the vicinity of any high voltage electricity cable which belongs to or which is under the management or control of an electricity licensee.
(3) The Authority may, if it thinks fit, modify the period for which a notice under subsection (1)(a) is to be given to an electricity licensee.
(4) It is the duty of the person who commences or carries out, or causes or permits the commencement or carrying out of, any earthworks referred to in subsection (1) —(a)
to comply with all reasonable requirements of the electricity licensee for the prevention of damage to the high voltage electricity cable;
(b)
to ensure that reasonable precautions are taken when carrying out such earthworks to prevent any damage to the high voltage electricity cable; and
(c)
to allow the electricity licensee reasonable access to the work site for the purpose of inspecting or taking any necessary measures to protect the high voltage electricity cable.[42/2018]
(5) It is the duty of the electricity licensee to whom a notice under subsection (1)(a) has been given —(a)
to promptly inform the person, who has given the electricity licensee the notice, of the location of the high voltage electricity cable and to provide the person with any other information as may be necessary to enable the person to ascertain the exact location of the high voltage electricity cable;
(b)
to advise the person, who has given the electricity licensee the notice, on the precautions to be taken to prevent damage to the high voltage electricity cable; and
(c)
to take all such measures at the work site as may be reasonable and necessary for the protection of the high voltage electricity cable from damage and, in so doing, the electricity licensee must have regard to the potential risks and dangers that can arise from any damage to the high voltage electricity cable.
(6) Nothing in subsection (1) prohibits a person from commencing or carrying out any earthworks where the person has reasonable cause to believe that it is necessary to do so in the interest of public or private safety except that the person must, not more than 7 days after the earthworks have been commenced or carried out, give to the electricity licensee written notice stating the nature and extent of those earthworks.
(6A) Subsection (1) does not prohibit an electricity licensee from commencing or carrying out earthworks within the vicinity of any high voltage electricity cable that belongs to or that is under the management or control of the electricity licensee.[42/2018]
(7) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) or (4) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or to both.
(8) Any person who contravenes subsection (2) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.
(9) Subject to subsection (10), in any proceedings for an offence under subsection (7), it is a defence for the person charged to prove —(a)
that the person took all reasonable steps to discharge the person’s duty under subsection (1) or (4), as the case may be; or
(b)
that the person took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid the commission of the offence.
(10) If in any proceedings for any offence under subsection (7), the defence involves acting on information supplied by any of the following:(a)
an electricity licensee to whom any high voltage electricity cable belongs or that manages or controls such cable;
(b)
any person to whom any infrastructure described in subsection (11) belongs or that manages or controls such infrastructure;
(c)
a licensed cable detection worker,
then the person charged is not, without permission of the court, entitled to rely on that defence unless, within 14 clear days before the hearing, the person charged has served on the prosecutor a written notice giving such information as was then in the possession of the person charged identifying or assisting in the identification of the person who supplied the person charged with the information.
[Act 27 of 2024 wef 01/07/2025]
(11) This section (except subsection (1)(c)) applies to any infrastructure (including cable pipe-blocks and tunnels) housing or intended to house any transmission electricity cable, as it applies to any high voltage electricity cable which belongs to or which is under the management or control of an electricity licensee, and for this purpose, a reference to an electricity licensee in this section is a reference to the person to whom the infrastructure belongs or that manages or controls the infrastructure.[Act 37 of 2021 wef 29/01/2022]
(12) In this section, “transmission electricity cable” means an electricity cable used for the transmission of electricity at 66 kilovolts or higher.[Act 37 of 2021 wef 29/01/2022]
Powers of Authority in relation to cable detection work
81.—(1) The Authority may —(a)
grant a cable detection work licence permitting a person to perform such cable detection work as is specified in the licence and suspend, cancel, alter, extend, renew or replace any such licence;
(b)
classify any cable detection work licence in such manner as it may determine;
(c)
specify the nature of the cable detection work in respect of which a cable detection work licence is granted and restrict such work to any type or class of cable detection work;
(d)
specify the circumstances or manner in which licensed cable detection workers may perform or carry out cable detection work;
(e)
impose any terms, conditions or restrictions on any cable detection work licence;
(f)
require any electricity licensee to conduct approved courses of training, including refresher courses, and provide for examinations for cable detection workers; and
(g)
keep a register of licensed cable detection workers.
(2) No person other than a licensed cable detection worker is entitled to recover in any court any charge, fee or remuneration for any cable detection work carried out by the person.
(3) Any cable detection work licence issued under the Public Utilities Act (Cap. 261, 1996 Revised Edition) in force immediately before 1 January 2003 is, so far as it is not inconsistent with this Act, to continue in force until suspended or revoked and is deemed to have been issued under this Act.
Licensing of electrical worker
82.—(1) An individual must not carry out, or offer or undertake to carry out, any electrical work unless —(a)
the individual is a licensed electrical worker; or
(b)
the individual acts under the supervision of an individual who is a licensed electrical worker.[42/2018]
(2) An individual must not hold himself or herself out (whether by an advertisement or any other means) as authorised under this Act to carry out any electrical work, unless the individual is a licensed electrical worker.[42/2018]
(3) A person must not in the course of business (whether or not carried on for profit) provide, or offer or undertake to provide, the carrying out of any electrical work unless the person ensures that the work is carried out by —(a)
one or more individuals, each being a licensed electrical worker; or
(b)
one or more individuals acting under the supervision of one or more individuals, each of the latter being a licensed electrical worker.[42/2018]
(4) A person must not hold out (whether by an advertisement or any other means) that the person is authorised under this Act to provide in the course of business the carrying out of any electrical work, unless the person ensures that the work is carried out by the individuals mentioned in subsection (3)(a) or (b).[42/2018]
(5) An owner or occupier of any premises who wishes to have any electrical work carried out at the premises must not knowingly engage (whether with or without consideration) a person that is not permitted under subsection (1) or (3) to carry out any electrical work or to provide the carrying out of any electrical work, as the case may be.[42/2018]
(6) The Authority may —(a)
issue an electrical worker licence permitting a person to carry out such electrical work as is specified in the licence and suspend, cancel, alter, extend, renew or replace any such licence;
(b)
classify any electrical worker licence in such manner as it may determine;
(c)
specify the nature of the electrical work in respect of which an electrical worker licence is issued and restrict such work to any type or class of electrical work or any type or class of electrical installation;
(d)
specify the circumstances or manner in which licensed electrical workers may carry out electrical work; or
(e)
attach any exemption to or impose any term, condition or restriction on any electrical worker licence.
(7) Any person who contravenes subsection (1), (2), (3), (4) or (5) shall be guilty of an offence.[42/2018]
(8) Despite any provision in this section, but subject to any other written law, it is not unlawful for —(a)
a person to replace any lamp that is connected in the person’s own electrical installation;
(b)
a person to replace any fuse in the person’s own electrical installation similar to that of a household;
(c)
an officer or employee of the Authority to carry out personally any electrical work in the course of his or her employment or in the discharge of his or her duties as such officer or employee;
(d)
the Authority to do any act or thing on or in connection with its own electrical installation;
(e)
a person, other than an electrical worker, whose trade or occupation normally includes the performance of work on any appliance, plant or machinery driven, or operated by, or incorporating any electrical installation, to carry out that work in the normal course of the person’s trade or occupation or for purposes incidental thereto, so long as the person does not carry out work on any part or circuit which is, or may be, connected to a source of electricity supply; and
(f)
a trained person to carry out any work in accordance with the written instructions of the licensed electrical worker in charge of the relevant electrical installation.
(9) In subsection (8)(f), a “trained person” means any employee who is —(a)
recognised by his or her employer and the licensed electrical worker in charge of the relevant electrical installation to have the necessary knowledge and experience to avoid danger; and
(b)
capable of carrying out the work specified in the written instructions of the licensed electrical worker.
(10) Any electrical worker licence issued under the Electrical Workers and Contractors Licensing Act (Cap. 89, 1985 Revised Edition), in force immediately before 1 December 2002 is, so far as it is not inconsistent with this Act, to continue in force until suspended or revoked and is deemed to have been issued under this Act.
Source: Singapore Statutes Online (Attorney-General's Chambers), © Government of Singapore.
