What Is a Situation Plan?
A situation plan shows where the electrical components in your building are located. What AREI/RGIE requires on it, how it links to the single-line diagram and what the inspection checks.
AuthorStephan BehmA situation plan is the floor plan of your electrical installation: it shows where distribution boards, boxes, sockets, lighting points, switches, fixed appliances and sources are located in the building. AREI/RGIE calls it a position plan and requires it together with the single-line diagram for every new domestic installation and for substantial modifications or extensions (Subsection 3.1.2.1 a).
A floor plan of your electrical installation
A situation plan (Dutch: situatieplan, French: plan de position) is a simplified floor plan showing the physical location of the electrical components. Each point carries the same reference as on the single-line diagram: the letter of its circuit and its sequence number.
The single-line diagram shows the electrical structure, meaning which protective device supplies which circuit. The situation plan shows where each point is.
What does AREI/RGIE say?
The current AREI/RGIE Book 1 (Version 06) governs content and referencing; the Federal Public Service Economy's domestic-inspection guidance lists both plans among the documents to present.
| Topic | AREI/RGIE reference | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of "plan" | Chapter 2.12 | a to-scale representation of where the parts of the installation are; no specific scale ratio is prescribed |
| Obligation | 3.1.2.1 a | single-line diagram and situation plan for new domestic installations and substantial modifications or extensions |
| Content | 3.1.2.3 a | location of boards, junction and branch boxes, sockets, lighting points, switches, fixed appliances and sources |
| Referencing | 3.1.2.1 a | circuit letter plus sequence number from the single-line diagram; switches carry the number of the point they control |
| Symbols | Chapter 2.13, Table 2.23 | official symbol list; you define missing symbols in the legend |
| Installation file | 9.1.2 | the owner keeps single-line diagram, situation plan and inspection reports in the installation file |
When the approved body establishes conformity at the inspection, it signs the diagram and plan together with the person responsible for the work. A missing or contradictory plan appears in the inspection report; only the approved inspection body determines the official outcome.
What must be on the situation plan?
- a clear, simplified floor plan of each relevant storey
- distribution and switchgear boards
- junction and branch boxes
- every socket, lighting point and switch
- fixed machines and appliances such as hob, water heater or EV charger
- sources such as a PV inverter or battery
- for each point the circuit letter and number, identical to the single-line diagram
- symbols from Table 2.23 and a legend for any custom signs
- number, revision and date, installation address and details of the responsible person
You always draw a change on the situation plan, even when a short description is enough for the single-line diagram (3.1.2.1 a).
Situation plan and single-line diagram compared
| Property | Situation plan | Single-line diagram |
|---|---|---|
| Representation | floor plan with the location of points | diagram with one line per circuit |
| Shows location | yes — exactly where | no |
| Shows structure | no | yes — from the supply point to the consumer |
| Protection | location of the board | type, ratings and order |
| Cables | routes can be drawn | type, cross-section, number of conductors, installation method |
| Scale | to scale, without a prescribed ratio | not to scale |
Both documents belong together and are equally mandatory. To draw one room by room, read How to draw a situation plan; the detailed comparison is in Single-line diagram vs situation plan.