Bob Pierce answers questions about energy efficiency, consumer products, and cooperative governance. He is Clearwater Power’s Chief Operating Officer and welcomes your questions on our Ask Bob page.
How do I upgrade my electric service from a 200-amp to a 400-amp service?
There are 2 parts to this upgrade, as it typically involves upgrades on the electric cooperative-owned equipment and the member-owned equipment.
For the utility side of the meter, you must contact Clearwater Power and request the upgrade. Our engineering department will schedule a time to come and evaluate your service and needs.
There is a $250 fee for the evaluation, but our engineers will provide a written estimate on the costs for the necessary upgrades. For example, depending on what equipment is already in place, we may have to install a larger transformer, conductors, and conduit to handle the increased capacity.
The second part of the project is on the member side—your side—of the meter. You must hire a licensed electrician to perform the upgrades on your equipment. They must install a 400-amp meter base and breaker box. The electrician usually contacts us to disconnect the power while they are working and has us reconnect it when it is completed.