Meter Service - Is this type of work allowed?

[vptran]

I work for a public utility and recently had a residential customer complained about an overhead to underground conversion of her meter service. Her 120/240V service as originally fed overhead from a pole. However, when we went through and undergrounded the street, the pole that was feeding her had to be removed and her service had to be converted to underground.

Since she had an old flushed mounted panel, we had to install a Meyers Adapter to extend the meter out and ran a 2" GRC from the adapter to the new underground service point. Unfortunately, the customer did not like the way that it "look" and wanted to have the adapter removed and the 2" GRC ran inside of her wall. We did not agree with running the pipe inside her wall because of liability issues. It would require use to cut through her stucco and concrete foundation which would affect the structural integrity of her house.

Is there anywhere in the NEC that states that we can or can't run a utility service conduit inside the wall? This the before the meter where the utility is responsible for the feed.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[luckylerado]

90.2 Scope

(B) Not Covered. This Code does not cover the following:

(5) Installations under the exclusive control of an electric utility
where such installations
a. Consist of service drops or service laterals, and associated
metering

That said, yes you can.

 

[USMC1302]

The utilities I have dealt with would not be concerned with the aesthetic opinions of the customer. If you want power, it's done their way. Personally, I can't picture how you would get inside the wall without making a mess. I'd suggest building a chase around the riser if you agreed to that. That way it could be painted to match or an accent that might look acceptable.

 

[mgookin]

You may have your own standards which say you don't run unfused conductors inside buildings.
(we call them unfused even though you have some mega OCPD somewhere on your system).

 

[fmtjfw]

Also many POCOs do not allow unmetered conductors or raceways to be embedded (except for a short section in the "attic" for a through the roof mast. This is to make it harder for crazy/demented power thieves to cut into live conductors.

 

[kwired]

Simple solution, give them the choice of what they like the looks of better.

1) the solution originally applied

2) set a pole just a few feet from old point of attachment, run your new underground feed across road, up the pole and then re-connect a new service drop to the old POA.

IMO just getting rid of the overhead line usually gives a cleaner look overall, and I would have liked what you did better then what was originally there.

Cut new line into the stucco - kind of costly (I think) and the place that was repaired will always stand out unless you refinish the entire side of the house.

 

[norcal]

Suggest she engage the services of a qualified electrical contractor to replace her service to something more pleasing to her is my answer, when the OH to UG conversion was done on the street about 100' from me, there were a large number of semi-flush panels on the houses, the EC that was doing the services ran a conduit from the tap box through the roof & used a weatherhead at the top, then the existing OH were spliced to the new ones, ugly with 2 weatherheads & drip loops, but it works.

 

[kwired]

If POCO is upgrading all their infrastructure to underground - they do what works for them to transition to existing equipment. They are likely to not do anything that is invasive to existing structures for liability reasons.

If customer don't like it they probably have the option to pay out of their own pocket to get what they want.