This page provides a formal statement by the UK electricity industry of compliance of the equipment used on UK electricity networks with the EMF public exposure limits in force in the UK.
The exposure limits are detailed here. In summary, for public exposure, the UK complies with the 1998 ICNIRP Guidelines in the terms of the 1999 EU Recommendation.
There is a Code of Practice agreed between the Energy Networks Association and the Government, which specifies how compliance will be determined. Among many other details, it says that for some equipment, compliance will be demonstrated on a case-by-case basis. But for other equipment, which always complies with the current exposure limits, the industry will not have to demonstrate compliance on a case-by-case basis. Instead, the details of the equipment and the evidence of compliance will be provided in one central place. This is the place where industry provides that information and the supporting evidence.
Equipment where compliance will be demonstrated by industry on a case-by-case basis
The following equipment normally complies with the public exposure limits. But the Code of Practice specifies that this will be demonstrated on a case-by-case basis when required, for example when applying for Consent or a Wayleave for a line or cable.
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Overhead lines at 275 kV and 400 kV
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Underground cables at 275 kV and 400 kV
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Substations containing air-cored reactors
In addition, the industry will report at intervals on compliance with the policy on phasing of overhead lines, as specified in the Code of Practice. The first report is due in 2013.
Equipment where compliance is demonstrated through this page
All of the following equipment will always be compliant with the current public exposure limits: the design is such that the electric and magnetic fields produced are always below the guideline values. We give the evidence on a separate page in each case.
