In Türkiye, facilities with voltages above 1 kV are legally required to have an operation responsible engineer. This obligation is not a mere formality: the engineer who takes on the responsibility also represents the employer before the distribution company. The regulation was amended on 5 October 2024, changing many articles, including the name of the certificate.
The regulation defines the “installation” as the section from the supply point with a rated voltage above 1 kV up to the low-voltage main circuit breaker. In other words, if you have your own transformer substation, you are within scope. This covers almost all factories, organized industrial zone facilities, shopping malls and hotels supplied at medium voltage.
The obligation starts with the provisional acceptance works of the facility and continues for as long as the facility is energised.
With the 2024 amendment, the certificate became the YGTİS (Authorisation Certificate for Operation Responsibility in HV Installations). There are three routes:
An electrical engineer holding a YGTİS certificate who works at the facility full time and all year round. Certified engineers employed in the public or private sector may only take responsibility for the single HV installation with an electricity contract at the address where they are employed.
If there is no suitably qualified engineer at the facility, an engineer holding both the independent consulting engineer (SMM) certificate for electrical installations above and below 1 kV and the YGTİS certificate takes on the service under a contract approved by the Chamber of Electrical Engineers (EMO). In practice this is the most common route.
A YGTİS-certified engineer who documents holding the majority share of the company may take on the operation responsibility of their own facility without the SMM requirement.
The contract must be approved by EMO. A contract signed between the parties but not approved by the Chamber is not considered valid under the regulation. When procuring the service, confirm that the approval process has been completed.
The regulation defines two separate periods, and they are often confused:
| Obligation | Period | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| On-site inspection of the facility (when undertaken by an SMM) | At least once a month | Article 7 |
| Written report | At least once every four months | Article 7/l |
The report is not given only to the employer. The regulation requires it to be submitted to the energy supplier, the employer and the relevant EMO unit. The report covers the condition of the facility, the work to be done, any problems, proposed solutions and measures to be taken.
Article 7 of the regulation lists the duties one by one. The main ones:
What is outside the scope. The regulation is explicit: unless there is a specific assignment and contract, monitoring energy consumption and checking whether the compensation system is working properly are not part of operation responsibility. Many businesses facing reactive power penalties learn this afterwards. If compensation monitoring is required, it must be written into the contract separately.
The EMO Board of Directors sets the limit; the regulation states an upper limit of 30 facilities and 30 MVA.
The service is provided within provincial borders. Within the borders of the EMO branch, and with the approval of the branch board, responsibility may also be taken in provinces neighbouring the one where the engineer operates.
Responsibility is not one-sided. According to Article 8 of the regulation, the employer must have the necessary works and services carried out, provide maintenance and repair, purchase the requested safety equipment, give the operation responsible engineer the authority required by the duty, and notify the distribution company and EMO of any change of the responsible engineer.
The article contains a clear provision: the employer is liable for any loss arising from failure to comply with the instructions and warnings of the operation responsible engineer. In other words, if the engineer has warned in writing and no measures were taken, the employer bears the consequences.
The responsibility ends if the engineer leaves the facility, the contract is terminated, the certificate conditions are lost, or in cases such as health reasons or military service. In that case, the employer must immediately appoint a new operation responsible engineer and notify both the distribution company and EMO.
Being without a responsible engineer while the facility is energised is the first deficiency you will face in an inspection.
Related services: Engineering and Consultancy · 24/7 Maintenance and Emergency Response
İletim Mühendislik has been building and operating medium-voltage facilities since 1986. We can take on the operation responsibility, periodic inspection and reporting for your transformer substation.
Source: TMMOB Chamber of Electrical Engineers (EMO), Regulation on Operation Responsibility for High-Voltage Electrical Installations. Official Gazette: 18.03.2004 / 25406. Amendments: 12.01.2008 / 26754, 22.01.2019 / 30663, 05.10.2024 / 32683. Also: Regulation on Electrical Heavy Current Installations (Official Gazette: 30.11.2000 / 24246), Regulation on Earthing in Electrical Installations (Official Gazette: 21.08.2001 / 24500).
This article is for general information only. As the regulation may change, the current text should be confirmed with EMO before signing a contract.
From 1986 to 1990 it was an organization providing design services only; since 1990 it has continued its commercial activity as a limited company providing design, contracting, consultancy and maintenance services.
Elektromekanik İş Merkezi
626. Sok. No:28B, Alaaddinbey
Nilüfer / Bursa, Türkiye
Tel: +90 224 441 64 04
Fax: +90 224 256 56 02
iletim@iletimmuhendislik.com.tr