Electrical Panel and Service Upgrades
We upgrade electrical panels and services for homes, businesses and farms when the existing equipment cannot support what the property needs. Every upgrade starts with an assessment of the existing service and the loads you plan to add, and we file the ESA notification and arrange the inspection.
When a panel or service upgrade makes sense
The usual reason is new demand on an existing system. Common examples:
- —A renovation or addition, such as a finished basement or new kitchen
- —An EV charger
- —A pool or hot tub
- —A generator or backup power connection
- —New equipment in a shop, barn or commercial unit
- —An older fuse panel being replaced with breakers
Panel upgrade or service upgrade?
They are related but not the same. The panel is the box of breakers or fuses that feeds the circuits in the building. The service is the supply from the utility: the service conductors, meter base, main disconnect and grounding. ESA's service inspection covers the wiring to the meter, the main disconnect means (fuses or breakers) and the grounding to the service.
Utilities draw the same line. Alectra Utilities, for example, separates a panel change (fuse to breaker, like for like, 60 A to 100 A) from a service upgrade above 100 A. Sometimes a new panel on the existing service is enough. Sometimes the service itself has to get bigger. The assessment tells you which.
How the process works in Ontario
These steps come from the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). The details vary by project and utility.
- —Assessment of the existing service, panel and planned loads
- —A service layout from the utility, setting out what the utility supplies and what the owner is responsible for
- —ESA notification of work, filed by us before the work starts
- —Utility disconnect, which ESA states is needed for service upgrades, relocation or replacement
- —Installation, then ESA inspection
- —ESA connection authorization to the utility, which ESA says is valid for up to six months
- —Power restored, and an ESA Certificate of Acceptance issued to whoever filed the notification
Your utility depends on where you are
Part of every service upgrade is working with the local electricity distributor. In the communities we serve, these include:
What to include in your quote request
A few details let us plan the assessment before we arrive:
- —A photo of the panel with the door open, and its label
- —The main breaker or fuse size, if you can see it
- —What you are adding: EV charger, hot tub, renovation, equipment
- —Property type and approximate age
- —The project address
Commercial, industrial and farm services
Service and distribution upgrades are also part of our commercial, industrial and agricultural work, where new equipment or a tenant change needs more capacity. For one-off repairs rather than upgrades, see electrical service and repairs.
ESA Licence #7019041. Saturday and Sunday appointments on request.
Panel and service upgrade questions
Do I need a 200 amp service?
There is no single answer. It depends on the size of the home or building and what runs in it at the same time. We assess the loads you have and the ones you plan to add before recommending a size.
Will my power be off?
Yes, for part of the job. ESA states that for service upgrades, relocation or replacement the utility has to disconnect the power, and the work has to be inspected before power is restored. We schedule the work to keep the outage as short as the job allows.
Who files the permit?
In Ontario the electrical permit is an ESA notification of work. ESA states that if you hire a Licensed Electrical Contractor, they file it. We file it before the work starts. Once the work passes, ESA issues a Certificate of Acceptance; ESA recommends asking your contractor for a copy for your records.
Can you replace an old fuse panel with breakers?
Yes. Fuse-to-breaker panel changes are part of our panel upgrade work. ESA's homeowner handbook notes that fuses that blow frequently can indicate an overloaded circuit or faulty wiring or equipment, so we also look at why fuses are blowing, not just at the panel.
Do I need an upgrade for an EV charger?
Not always. Load management or a dedicated circuit on the existing service may be enough. The assessment shows which.
Planning a panel or service upgrade?
Send us a photo of your panel and tell us what you are adding. We will confirm what the assessment involves.