Owners call us with a tenant moving in on a date and a service that cannot carry them. The question is always the same: how fast? The honest answer depends on three things that are not electrical work at all.
The utility case: 4 to 12 weeks
SRP and APS both need an application, a load letter, a site plan and, for primary service, an engineering review. SRP is typically four to eight weeks from a complete application to a design; APS can run longer in summer. We open the case the week we are awarded, because nothing else on the schedule matters if the utility has not released a design.
The gear: 10 to 30 weeks
Switchgear lead times have been volatile since 2021. A standard 800A switchboard from a major manufacturer runs 10 to 16 weeks as of this writing; 2500A and up with a utility meter section can be 20 to 30. We submit gear within five days of award and we will tell you when a stock alternative gets you there sooner.
The shutdown: one day, planned for two weeks
The actual changeover for 400A to 1200A is four to eight hours. The plan for it is written two weeks ahead with a sequence, a rollback and temporary power for anything that cannot go dark. Life safety stays on. IT stays on. The owner sees the plan before anyone touches a wire.
So, the real number
For a 400A to 800A upgrade with secondary service: 12 to 20 weeks from award to energize. For 1200A and up or new primary service: 20 to 36 weeks. If someone quotes you six weeks, ask them which of the three steps they are skipping.
The electrical work is the short part. Managing the utility and the gear is the job.
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Send us the drawings. We will tell you what it costs and when it is done.
Ray or a project manager replies the same business day with a date for the number.