Engineering English
Interrupting Rating
Electrical Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: Interrupting rating is the maximum fault current that a circuit breaker or switchgear can safely interrupt without damage. It is also known as breaking capacity.
Example in context
“The engineer selected a circuit breaker with an interrupting rating of 40 kA to handle the maximum available fault current at the substation.”
“Mühendis, trafo merkezindeki maksimum arıza akımını karşılamak için 40 kA kesme kapasiteli bir devre kesici seçti.”
Where engineers use it
This rating is specified on nameplates of circuit breakers and switchgear. It is used during fault studies to ensure devices can safely clear maximum fault currents without failure.
Synonyms: breaking capacity, short-circuit breaking capacity, interrupting capacity
Antonyms: making capacity
Practice: can you use “Interrupting Rating” at work?
You are reviewing a substation design. The fault study shows a maximum fault current of 50 kA. Check if the selected breaker with 40 kA interrupting rating is adequate.
Show a model answer
“Verify that the circuit breaker's interrupting rating exceeds the calculated fault current.”
“Interrupting Rating” in 21 languages
| English | Interrupting Rating |
|---|---|
| Turkish | Kesme kapasitesi |
| French | Pouvoir de coupure |
| German | Ausschaltvermögen |
| Spanish | Capacidad de interrupción |
| Chinese | 遮断额定值 |
| Arabic | قدرة القطع |
| Portuguese | Capacidade de interrupção |
| Russian | Отключающая способность |
| Japanese | 遮断定格 |
| Italian | Potere di interruzione |
| Vietnamese | Khả năng cắt |
| Hindi | अवरोधन क्षमता |
| Thai | พิกัดการตัดกระแส |
| Indonesian | Kapasitas pemutusan |
| Korean | 차단 정격 |
| Bengali | বিচ্ছিন্ন করার ক্ষমতা |
| Dutch | Onderbrekingsvermogen |
| Swedish | Brytförmåga |
| Finnish | Katkaisukapasiteetti |
| Ukrainian | Вимикальна здатність |
Frequently asked questions
What does Interrupting Rating mean in engineering?
Interrupting rating is the maximum fault current that a circuit breaker or switchgear can safely interrupt without damage. It is also known as breaking capacity. In Electrical Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Interrupting Rating?
Interrupting Rating is pronounced /ɪn.təˈrʌp.tɪŋ ˈreɪ.tɪŋ/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Interrupting Rating used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The engineer selected a circuit breaker with an interrupting rating of 40 kA to handle the maximum available fault current at the substation.”
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