How to Install New Electric Service?
Installing new electric service means bringing power from the utility company’s lines into your home or building for the first time — or replacing an outdated service entirely. The process involves the utility, your local building department, and a licensed electrician working in a specific sequence. Skip a step, and you’re looking at failed inspections, delayed service, or a safety hazard.
Here’s how it works from start to finish. The utility drops power to a point near your property — typically at a pole or underground stub-out. From there, a licensed electrical contractor runs conductors from that drop point to your meter socket, then into the main service panel inside the building. The panel distributes power through branch circuits to every outlet, switch, and appliance in the structure. Each phase of this — the service entrance, the meter base, the panel, and the grounding system — has to meet the current National Electrical Code (NEC) and your local jurisdiction’s amendments.
In Nevada, where I work through Ohms Electric Reno & Sparks, the sequence looks like this: pull a permit, install the meter base and service entrance equipment, schedule a rough inspection, coordinate with NV Energy or your local utility for the service drop, pass a final inspection, and then the utility will energize the line. That coordination step is one most homeowners don’t anticipate. You can have everything installed perfectly and still wait one to three weeks for the utility to connect.
The work itself requires working near or with conductors that carry lethal voltage. The service entrance conductors from the utility drop remain energized even when your main breaker is off. Only the utility can de-energize those. This is why hiring a qualified electrical repair company isn’t optional — it’s a code requirement in most jurisdictions and a practical safety necessity.
How to Install Electrical Service for New Construction?
New construction electrical service differs from a service upgrade in one key way: there’s no existing infrastructure to work around. That’s both an advantage and a source of complexity.
The process starts during the design phase, before a single wall goes up. The electrician needs to coordinate with the builder on service entrance location, panel placement, and load calculations. In my experience, the biggest mistakes in new construction happen when the electrical contractor gets brought in too late. By the time framing is done, critical decisions about conduit routing and panel location have already been made by default — often badly.
For a new home, the utility will need to know your projected load so they can size the transformer and service drop appropriately. You’ll submit a load calculation based on square footage, HVAC equipment, electric vehicle charging, appliances, and any special loads like a hot tub or workshop. A 200-amp service is standard for most new homes built in 2026, but we’re seeing more clients request 400-amp service upfront because they’re planning for EV chargers, solar battery backup, and all-electric appliances. Running a second service or upgrading later costs significantly more than sizing up during initial construction.
As the new construction electrical contractor, our job covers the temporary power pole during construction, the rough-in wiring through framing, the permanent service entrance installation, the panel build-out, and final trim — installing devices, covers, and fixtures. Inspections happen at multiple stages. In Washoe County, for example, you’ll typically have a rough-in inspection after wiring is run but before walls are closed, and a final inspection once everything is complete and the panel is landed.
The National Electrical Contractors Association publishes guidelines on commercial and residential new construction electrical standards that are worth reviewing if you’re a builder or developer managing multiple subcontractors on a project.
One practical detail that trips up new construction projects: the permanent service can’t be energized until the building passes its final electrical inspection and the certificate of occupancy process is underway. Plan your construction schedule accordingly. If you’re pushing to meet a deadline, the electrical inspection timeline is not something you can rush by calling the utility directly.
How Much Does It Cost to Have a New Electric Wire Installed from Service Drop to Meter?
This is one of the most searched cost questions we get, and the honest answer is: it varies more than most people expect.
The wire run from the service drop to the meter — the service entrance conductors — typically costs between $800 and $2,500 for an overhead service on a standard residential property in 2026. That range accounts for wire gauge (determined by your service amperage), conduit requirements, the height and accessibility of the attachment point on the house, and local labor rates.
For a 200-amp service, you’re looking at 2/0 aluminum or 4/0 aluminum service entrance cable, depending on the configuration. Aluminum is code-acceptable for service entrances and is standard — don’t let anyone talk you into copper for this application at three times the price unless there’s a specific reason. The wire alone for a 200-amp service entrance run of 20 to 30 feet runs roughly $200 to $500 in materials. Labor makes up the rest.
Where costs climb is underground service. If the utility drops underground to a stub-out at your property line, and your meter is 60 feet away on the house, you’re now looking at trenching, conduit, and pulling wire through it. That can run $3,500 to $7,000 or more depending on soil conditions, trench length, and whether you hit rock, roots, or existing utilities. We’ve done underground service runs in the hills around Reno where rock blasting was required — those jobs pushed past $10,000 just for the service entrance portion.
The meter base socket itself adds $150 to $400 in materials, plus the labor to mount and wire it. Your utility company specifies the exact meter socket type they accept, so there’s no shopping around for a cheaper alternative — it has to match their spec.
If you want a reliable estimate for your specific situation, a wiring installation consultation with a local licensed electrician is the only way to get accurate numbers. Photos and descriptions can get you a ballpark, but the actual site conditions drive the real cost.
How Much to Install New Electric Service?
The full cost of new electric service — from the utility connection point through the meter, into the panel, and grounded properly — runs between $3,500 and $15,000 for most residential installations in 2026. That’s a wide range, so here’s what moves the number.
Service amperage is the biggest variable. A 100-amp service (rare in new construction but still used for small structures like garages or ADUs) runs $1,500 to $4,000 installed. A standard 200-amp residential service is $3,500 to $8,000. A 400-amp service or dual 200-amp service setup — increasingly common for all-electric homes — runs $7,000 to $15,000 or more.
Geographic location matters significantly. Labor rates in the Reno/Sparks area are different from rural Nevada, which are different from the Bay Area or Las Vegas. Permit fees vary by jurisdiction. Some areas charge a flat permit fee; others charge based on project valuation. In Washoe County in 2026, electrical permit fees for a new service installation typically run $150 to $400 depending on amperage and scope.
The electrical panel installation itself — the main breaker panel, the branch circuit breakers, and the full interior build-out — is a significant portion of total cost. A 200-amp panel with 30 to 40 spaces runs $1,200 to $3,500 installed, depending on brand, breaker count, and any smart monitoring features.
Grounding and bonding requirements have tightened over recent NEC cycles. Your service installation in 2026 needs to meet the 2023 NEC (which most Nevada jurisdictions have adopted) including ground rod depth, bonding jumper sizing, and intersystem bonding termination. These aren’t optional add-ons — they’re part of a code-compliant installation. A contractor who quotes you a rock-bottom price might be cutting corners here.
Don’t forget utility fees. NV Energy and other utilities charge connection fees for new service, which vary based on service size and whether line extension work is needed. These fees are separate from what you pay the electrician and can run from a few hundred dollars to several thousand for line extension projects.
How to Install a New Electrical Service Panel?
The service panel is the brain of your electrical system. Every circuit in your building originates here. Getting the installation right matters for both safety and long-term reliability.
Here’s the physical process, as I’d walk a technically curious homeowner through it. The panel enclosure mounts to the wall — typically in a garage, utility room, or dedicated mechanical space. For new installations, it needs to be accessible, not inside a bedroom or bathroom, and mounted at a height where the center of the highest breaker handle doesn’t exceed 6 feet 7 inches from the floor (NEC requirement). The service entrance conductors land on the main lugs or main breaker, which must be rated for the service amperage. Neutral conductors land on the neutral bar, which in the main panel is bonded to the enclosure and to ground.
The grounding electrode system connects to the panel through the grounding electrode conductor. This typically includes two ground rods driven at least 6 feet apart and 8 feet deep, plus any available structural grounding electrodes like concrete-encased electrodes (Ufer grounds) in new construction. The 2023 NEC has specific conductor sizing requirements for this — sizing it undersized is a common mistake in DIY and cut-rate installations.
Branch circuit breakers go in after the main breaker is landed. Each circuit needs to be sized correctly for the wire gauge it protects. In 2026, AFCI (arc-fault circuit interrupter) breakers are required for most living spaces, and GFCI protection is required for bathrooms, kitchens, garages, outdoors, and other specified locations. These requirements have expanded with each NEC cycle, so a panel built out today looks different from one installed 15 years ago even at the same amperage.
One thing I always stress: never use a panel brand that has known defects or is on the obsolete/recalled list. Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and Zinsco panels from decades past are famous examples. In 2026, stick with reputable manufacturers — Square D, Eaton, Siemens, Leviton — and buy from authorized distributors. Counterfeit breakers are a real problem in the market right now, particularly from online marketplaces. The Independent Electrical Contractors association has flagged this as an industry safety concern.
The panel installation requires a permit and inspection in virtually every jurisdiction. The inspector will check torque on lugs, proper conductor sizing, AFCI/GFCI compliance, labeling, and that the panel is appropriate for the application. Label every breaker clearly before the inspection — inspectors notice when it’s done haphazardly.
For the full scope of what goes into a residential panel installation, our electrical panel installation page covers what we include in a typical job.
What Do I Need to Do to Install a New Electrical Service With PGE?
PG&E serves a large portion of Northern California, and if you’re in their territory, their requirements add a specific layer on top of the standard NEC and local building code process. The broad steps apply anywhere, but here are the PG&E-specific details you need to know.
First, you or your contractor needs to submit a service request through PG&E’s online portal. For new residential construction, this is called a New Service Request. You’ll provide the property address, service address if different, contact information, and your projected load. PG&E will assign a service planner to the project who determines the point of connection, transformer requirements, and any line extension needs.
PG&E has a detailed Electric Rule 2 (their tariff governing service connections) that specifies the meter socket type, mounting height, clearances, and service entrance configuration they require. Your electrician must follow their Electric Service Requirements (ESR) document, which is updated periodically. As of 2026, PG&E requires EUSERC-compliant meter sockets, specific conduit sizes, and meter heights between 4 feet and 6 feet from grade to the center of the meter. Deviations require prior approval.
For underground service, PG&E specifies the conduit type, depth, and the location of the pull box if one is needed. They own the conductors from their transformer to your meter, but you’re typically responsible for conduit installation from the meter to the service connection point on your property. This is called the “customer conduit” requirement.
After your electrician installs the meter base and service entrance equipment, you’ll request a PG&E inspection. In many jurisdictions, the local building department inspection and the PG&E inspection happen separately. Both have to pass before PG&E will schedule the connection. Turnaround on PG&E’s inspection scheduling can run 5 to 15 business days depending on workload in your area — this is not something you can expedite by calling customer service.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration provides resources specifically for electrical contractors working around utility infrastructure, which is directly relevant to the service entrance work near live utility conductors during this process.
If your project requires a line extension — meaning PG&E needs to bring a new line or transformer to your property — there are additional design fees, line extension agreements, and potentially refundable deposits involved. These can add weeks to months to your timeline and thousands of dollars in utility-side costs.
PG&E’s requirements are similar in structure to what other large utilities like NV Energy require in Nevada. The specific documents differ, but the pattern — submit a service request, meet their equipment specifications, pass dual inspections, wait for scheduling — is consistent across major utilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need a Permit to Install New Electric Service?
Yes, in every jurisdiction I’m aware of. Electrical permits exist because service installations involve life-safety systems. The permit process ensures an inspector who didn’t do the work reviews it independently. Pulling permits also protects you — if something goes wrong with an unpermitted installation, your homeowner’s insurance may deny the claim.
Can a Homeowner Install Their Own Electric Service?
In most states, homeowners can pull permits for work on their own primary residence. Whether you should is a different question. Service entrance work involves conductors that remain energized from the utility side regardless of your main breaker position. Without proper training and equipment, that’s a fatal risk. The Electrical Association recommends that service entrance work always be performed by a qualified electrician.
How Long Does New Electric Service Installation Take?
The physical installation by the electrician typically takes one to three days depending on scope. Add time for permit processing (usually 3 to 10 business days), inspections, and utility scheduling. Total project timeline from permit application to energized service commonly runs three to six weeks. In busy construction seasons, utility scheduling alone can add two to four weeks.
What Size Service Do I Need for a New Home in 2026?
200-amp service is the minimum I’d recommend for any new home. If you’re adding EV charging, a heat pump HVAC system, induction cooking, and planning for solar battery storage, run a load calculation and seriously consider 320-amp or 400-amp service. The cost difference during initial construction is far smaller than a service upgrade later.
What Is a Service Drop, and Who Installs It?
The service drop is the utility’s conductors running from their pole or transformer to your property. The utility installs and owns these conductors. Your electrician installs everything from the service attachment point (on your house or at the meter) inward. Never attempt to touch or work near service drop conductors — they are always energized.
If you’re planning a new electric service installation in the Reno or Sparks area, the team at Ohms Electric Reno & Sparks handles the full scope — from permit application through final inspection and utility coordination. We work with NV Energy regularly and know their equipment requirements and scheduling process. Our wiring installation services cover everything from the service entrance through branch circuit rough-in and trim-out.
Ready to get started? Contact us to schedule a site consultation. We’ll assess your property, run a load calculation, and give you a straight estimate with no guesswork. You can also browse our full range of electrical services to see everything we handle.
