SERVICE UPGRADES
Commercial electrical service upgrades
WHEN THE POWER RUNS OUT
Upgrading a commercial service without stalling the build-out
A service upgrade is the one part of a tenant improvement that depends on people outside the project. The utility has to review the request, may have to change its transformer or service lateral, and schedules its own work on its own calendar. That is why a service upgrade discovered late can move an opening date more than any other item.
Our first job is to find out, early and accurately, whether you need one at all. A proper load calculation, based on the real equipment schedule and the building’s actual usage, often shows the existing service can carry more than a quick estimate suggested. When it cannot, we know exactly how much more capacity is needed.
When an upgrade is necessary, we engage the utility immediately, release the switchgear and panels in parallel, and plan the cutover as a scheduled outage with the landlord and the other tenants. The goal is a single, well-rehearsed shutdown rather than several surprises.
What a service upgrade can involve
- Load calculation from the real equipment schedule
- Utility service request and coordination
- New meter, meter socket or meter bank position
- Main switchboard, panelboards and transformers
- Larger feeders from the service to the suite
- A planned, scheduled shutdown and cutover
SCOPE OF WORK
What we deliver on a service upgrade
Load calculations
A calculation built on the equipment schedule and, where available, the building’s demand history, so the upgrade is sized correctly the first time.
Utility coordination
Service requests, load letters and site coordination with the utility, tracked closely because their schedule usually decides the finish date.
Meters and metering
New meter positions for a tenant, sub-metering where the landlord bills by usage, and meter bank modifications in multi-tenant buildings.
Switchgear and panels
Main switchboards, distribution panels and transformers, released early because they are built to order.
Feeders
Larger feeders from the service equipment to the suite, routed through the building with the landlord’s approval.
Planned shutdowns
Cutovers scheduled with the landlord and neighboring tenants, typically outside business hours, with temporary power where it is needed.
HOW THE JOB RUNS
The service upgrade sequence
01
Calculate the load
02
Engage the utility early
03
Release gear in parallel
04
Plan and rehearse the cutover
COMMON QUESTIONS
Service upgrade questions
A load calculation based on your equipment list and the building’s existing load tells us. We run it at the start of the project so the answer is known before the lease or the schedule is locked.
It varies by utility and by lease. Utilities often charge for work on their side of the meter, and many leases assign upgrade costs to the tenant. We identify both before pricing.
The installation itself is usually quick. The utility’s review and scheduling, and the lead time on switchgear, are what take time — which is why we start both as early as possible and track them weekly.
Usually for a short, planned window. We schedule it with the landlord and other tenants, often overnight or on a weekend, and provide temporary power where operations cannot stop.
Sometimes. Load management, switching some equipment from electric to gas, or reallocating capacity from another suite can close a small gap. We price the alternatives alongside the upgrade.