What Is the YGTIS Certificate and How Do You Verify It?

The YGTIS certificate is the High Voltage Facility Operation Responsibility authorisation, and it shows that the electrical engineer taking on operation responsibility at a facility is authorised for this work. The certificate is issued after training given by the Continuing Professional Education Centre (MISEM) of the Chamber of Electrical Engineers (EMO). As a facility owner, verifying that the engineer's YGTIS certificate is current and valid before signing a contract is critical for both legal compliance and safety. This article explains what the certificate is, how it is obtained and how to verify it. For related context, see Is High Voltage Operation Responsibility Mandatory?.

What does the YGTIS certificate prove? It documents that the engineer who will sign an operation responsibility contract at a facility with a 1 kV-and-above transformer is authorised to inspect and operate high voltage installations. Responsibility taken on with an unauthorised or expired certificate makes both the validity of the contract and the legal position in a possible accident questionable. The certificate is therefore the basic entry requirement for the operation responsibility service. For related context, see What Is an Insulator? Function, Types and Selection.

How is the certificate obtained? To hold a YGTIS certificate, one must be an electrical or electrical-electronics engineer and a member of EMO. The candidate attends the 'Operation Responsibility in HV Facilities' training within EMO MISEM. The training covers high voltage installations, protection and grounding, power factor correction, switching, occupational safety, maintenance guidelines and legal responsibility. An authorisation certificate is issued to the engineer who completes the training and assessment. For related context, see What Is an MV XLPE Cable? What Does It Do, How Does It Work and What Structure Does It Have?.

How long is the certificate valid? The YGTIS authorisation certificate is valid for five years. At the end of this period the certificate lapses automatically; the engineer must extend it by attending the MISEM renewal training organised by EMO. For the facility owner this means the question is not only 'does the engineer have a certificate' but also 'is the certificate still valid'. An expired certificate does not provide a current authorisation. For related context, see What Is an MV Cable Termination? What Does It Do, How Does It Work and What Types Are There?.

Why should you verify the operation manager? The responsibility contract directly concerns the high voltage safety of the facility. An agreement made with someone who is unauthorised or whose certificate has expired can put the facility owner in a difficult position during inspections and possible accident investigations. Choosing the right engineer is a decision that includes not only price but also certificate and authorisation verification.

How is the operation manager verified? The soundest way is to confirm the engineer's chamber registration and authorisation status through EMO. At the proposal stage, ask the engineer for a copy of the YGTIS certificate, EMO registry information and, where applicable, the SMM (Independent Consulting Engineer) certificate; this makes verification easier. Checking the issue and validity dates on the certificate lets you see whether it is current.

What other qualifications are expected of an operation manager? Alongside a current YGTIS certificate, the engineer is expected to have an active EMO membership and to be in a position to take on professional responsibility. For self-employed engineers, the SMM certificate is another indicator of this competence. Together, these documents show that the engineer is suitable, both technically and administratively, to undertake the responsibility.

What is the relationship between the certificate and the contract? Operation responsibility is established not by the certificate alone but by the written contract between the facility owner and the engineer. The contract defines the engineer's authority and the scope of responsibility. Certificate verification ensures that this contract rests on a valid authorisation; the two complement each other.

At Pow-Sys, we share our certificate and authorisation information up front. In the proposal file, the YGTIS certificate status and EMO registry information of the engineer who will undertake the service are presented so the client can verify them. Reviewing the authorisation and training certificates places the operation responsibility service on a sound footing. The aim is to base the facility's safety on a verifiable authorisation.

If you want to work with a certified operation manager for your facility in Bursa and the surrounding region, sharing your facility type and transformer details is enough. We proceed with a process that includes certificate verification. You can find the cost side of the subject in our article on high voltage operation responsibility cost, and the scope and obligation side in our related blog posts.