OK that's a bit misleading, but the question is simple as far as I see it. Who owns and is responsible for the over head power line from the meter to the weather head, the power company or the home owner? I was taught that what ever is on the load side of the meter belongs to the home owner, and the supply side of and including the meter, the power company.
Who owns what ?
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fried1765
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IMHO from the meter to the weather head is the responsibility/ownership of the property owner.
To give my theory a test: ......install a meter socket only, and then call the power company for a hookup.
I think THAT will definitely answer your question.
Generally it's the power company to the weatherhead, homeowner from the weatherhead down excepting the meter.
Yotekiller
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As an electrician, I always was responsible for installation of the meter base and the wiring from it to the panel, and had to install the weather head or the down base to below surface, with pigtails from meter base sticking out which energy company attached to...
In my area power company owns the line from the pole to weatherhead. If the weatherhead mast gets ripped off the house the PoCo won’t reconnect until an electrician reconnects the mast to house.
Runs With Scissors
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When I built my house 23 years ago, I remember having to have an electrician come out and put in the "temporary outlet" so the carpenters and such had something to plug into.
I am pretty/mostly sure that the Power company was responsible for running the power to that "mast"
Then the electrician wired it up from there.
I have no idea what the "technical terms" are though.
I am pretty/mostly sure that the Power company was responsible for running the power to that "mast"
Then the electrician wired it up from there.
I have no idea what the "technical terms" are though.
Mine is underground from pole to meter and I own it. Found out a couple years back when the line corroded in the middle of winter and it cost several thousand dollars to replace after loosing a phase. If it was overhead the power company would have been responsible.
Locations and power companies have different boundaries. I had a building with a power pole with transformer 25' from the weatherhead. A limb was was resting on the overhead line. I called the power co. to get it trimmed, but nothing happened. Over a period of a year and half and three or four more calls with no response I called the local distribution center and told them I was going to trim the limb because I was done waiting on them.
The dispatch lady told me a person would be there at a particular time to disconnect the power. When the service truck showed up I was told from the transformer on was my responsibility. He only needs to disconnect at the transformer and would come back when I was finished to reconnect.
When I explained how I had tried to get a resolution for over a year and never was given direction as what to do he said if you don't mind I can trim this tree and it would be easier and quicker then me disconnecting and returning. I drug the limbs out of his way as he worked from his bucket truck and we were finished in half an hour.
The dispatch lady told me a person would be there at a particular time to disconnect the power. When the service truck showed up I was told from the transformer on was my responsibility. He only needs to disconnect at the transformer and would come back when I was finished to reconnect.
When I explained how I had tried to get a resolution for over a year and never was given direction as what to do he said if you don't mind I can trim this tree and it would be easier and quicker then me disconnecting and returning. I drug the limbs out of his way as he worked from his bucket truck and we were finished in half an hour.
RCW
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Skeets -,don’t think we’ve answered your question directly.
Probably depends on area and utility.
My experience is the utility owns the overhead to the weatherhead.
That said, they will not repair it if the service is pulled off the house, as that involves the weatherhead and entrance down to the meter.
Neighbor had service pulled off the house years ago. Utility not interested.
He had to hire an electrician to re- hang the weatherhead on the house.
Probably depends on area and utility.
My experience is the utility owns the overhead to the weatherhead.
That said, they will not repair it if the service is pulled off the house, as that involves the weatherhead and entrance down to the meter.
Neighbor had service pulled off the house years ago. Utility not interested.
He had to hire an electrician to re- hang the weatherhead on the house.
Been a while since I've done a residential service but I believe it's still the same:
Overhead service - Customer installs and owns from the weatherhead down, including an anchor point for the power company. Customer needs to leave tails at the head for the power company to connect with their lines.
Underground service - Customer installs and owns from the meter base and for there in. Owner provides an empty conduit stubbed below grade. Power company installs cable in owner-provided trench and connects to line side of meter base.
We did larger projects in different areas and it varied with the utility company. Some places we provided empty conduits between our gear and the transformer owned by the power company. Some places we were responsible for wiring from our gear to the transformer pad, but only connected our end. For Medium and HV services we normally provided a switch and all load side wiring, and the power company pulled their cables in raceways we provided and terminated them in our switch.
Overhead service - Customer installs and owns from the weatherhead down, including an anchor point for the power company. Customer needs to leave tails at the head for the power company to connect with their lines.
Underground service - Customer installs and owns from the meter base and for there in. Owner provides an empty conduit stubbed below grade. Power company installs cable in owner-provided trench and connects to line side of meter base.
We did larger projects in different areas and it varied with the utility company. Some places we provided empty conduits between our gear and the transformer owned by the power company. Some places we were responsible for wiring from our gear to the transformer pad, but only connected our end. For Medium and HV services we normally provided a switch and all load side wiring, and the power company pulled their cables in raceways we provided and terminated them in our switch.
I'm curious why this has come up? I think over head the homeowner is responsible for installing the meter base, mast, weatherhead and wiring up the mast and out the weatherhead. The power company connects to the pigtails at the weatherhead. The meter is the power company's. If the mast is damaged, it's up to the homeowner to have it repaired before the power company will reconnect.
For my recent underground connection, I set the meter base and ran PVC conduit from the base to within 3' of the power pole. The power company ran conduit up the pole, ran the feeder cable and connected both ends, and installed the meter.
In either case, it all has to meet the utility's requirements.
North Idaho Wolfman
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Here we have a co-op electric company so technically if you are in the co-op you own a portion of it.
But here anything after the meter is yours, everything before it is theirs.
Underground or overhead it doesn't matter.
But here anything after the meter is yours, everything before it is theirs.
Underground or overhead it doesn't matter.
Here we are responsible from the meter to the panel in the house however it gets there.
But I also had to pay $11,000 to have 1 pole and 30ft of overhead line, a transformer and the meter installed. Even as part of an REA. And that was 10 years ago.
But I also had to pay $11,000 to have 1 pole and 30ft of overhead line, a transformer and the meter installed. Even as part of an REA. And that was 10 years ago.
In the section of CT where I live, the power company is responsible for the power on the pole through the Weatherhead down the PVC pipe to the underground and into the meter socket. I am responsible for the meter socket to the inside of the home When I called about the trees growing into the transformer that is on the pole that services my house, I was informed that trees growing into the wires were my problem. I asked what happens if when I am cutting down the tree and the wire comes down with it and I get electrocuted, who was responsible? The response was that they would disconnect the power on the pole where it enters my property and then I could cut the trees. I have 6 poles on the property that bring the power to the house, and that makes for an interesting problem. So far they haven't trimmed the trees, and I haven't done anything either. Last fall on the main street to my home a tree had grown into the transformer and caught fire and set the pole on fire. They had to replace the pole and the transformer. The fire department stayed and watched the pole burn until the power company came and cut the power line to the pole. The interesting thing is that the fuse on the poles had blown and everyone was without power.
Poohbear
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That's how it is here. Example: Our Duaghters line was taken out by a tree during a storm. The meter base, conduit & weatherhead torn from wall . Electrician had to rebuild with permit/inspection since she lives in a city.
Hi voltage line to the transformer is the utility's problem. After the transformer "low voltage" is my problem. Sometimes the utility owns the transformer. I own and am responsible for the utility pole on my property. In the good old days the utility would give me one free pole on my property, now it's my problem.
If I have to do work on my side of the transformer I call the utility and they disconnect for service.
If I have to do work on my side of the transformer I call the utility and they disconnect for service.
The question was asked due to a letter with the power company logo and address about an insurance policy for power lines. On the load side is mine and my responsibility and I pay for repairs. But the reading of the letter stated that lines to the house ,should something happen, I would have to pay for.
When I had my problem and had to replace the undground wires I contacted my insurance company to see if there was any coverage. They said no underground utilities are not covered under homeowners policies but I could buy a separate policy for the future issues.