Abstract: A safety electrical receptacle for household, commercial, or industrial use is described which will not transmit electrical energy through an electrical plug to output wiring until normally open switches positioned in the path of travel of the electrical plug are closed by the motion of the plug being inserted into the receptacle. An open receptacle exists in a safe condition because normally open switches are connected in series with the contacts and no voltage is available to shock or burn the adult or child who inadvertently inserts a conductive object into the receptacle. In one embodiment of the invention, posts incorporated into a specially designed plug act to close switches and allow the transmission of electrical energy to output wiring. In another embodiment, a conventional grounding tine on a plug acts to close switches which transmit electrical energy to output wiring.