While SS 551 is a Code of Practice (not a statute), the Singapore Electricity Act (Cap. 89A) and the Energy Market Authority (EMA) Electrical Installation Safety Regulations make compliance effectively mandatory.
The latest revision (2023) introduced several updates:
In the realm of electrical engineering, earthing (or grounding) is not merely a technical recommendation—it is the bedrock of safety, system reliability, and equipment protection. Without a properly designed and maintained earthing system, electrical installations are vulnerable to hazardous touch voltages, equipment damage from lightning strikes, and erratic operation of sensitive electronics. ss 551 code of practice for earthing
In Singapore, the benchmark for earthing practices is the SS 551: Code of Practice for Earthing. Officially titled "Singapore Standard SS 551: Code of practice for earthing", this document serves as the national guideline for all electrical installations, from residential complexes and commercial buildings to heavy industrial plants and data centers.
This article explores SS 551 in depth, covering its scope, key technical requirements, types of earthing systems, testing procedures, and its critical relationship with other standards like SS 638 (formerly CP5) and IEC regulations. While SS 551 is a Code of Practice
With Singapore’s push for Green Plan 2030, an amendment to SS 551 covers earthing of PV arrays. It mandates:
This is non-negotiable under SS 551. All extraneous conductive parts entering the building must be bonded to the Main Earthing Terminal (MET). With Singapore’s push for Green Plan 2030, an
Extraneous parts include:
Bonding conductor size: Minimum 6 mm² copper (typically 10 mm² used for robustness).