Underground utility lateral connecting to main breaker

[bkelly]

I have an apartment building that utilizes cold sequence metering. There is an 800 amp main breaker that feeds a meter pack for 12 utility owned meters with individual main breaker for each unit fed from the meter pack. The issue is the direct connection of utility lateral to the 800 amp main breaker. The utility pulled 350mcm al to the main. Where is the code section that deals with this situation? In the past, we have always required a tap can for our point of connection to the utility. Any ideas on this?

 

[david]

I do not see an issue for using the 800 amp main to disconnect the utility to service a meter.

i also do not see an issue with the utility lateral going directly to the lugs of the 800 amp main.

 

[texie]

I have an apartment building that utilizes cold sequence metering. There is an 800 amp main breaker that feeds a meter pack for 12 utility owned meters with individual main breaker for each unit fed from the meter pack. The issue is the direct connection of utility lateral to the 800 amp main breaker. The utility pulled 350mcm al to the main. Where is the code section that deals with this situation? In the past, we have always required a tap can for our point of connection to the utility. Any ideas on this?

Fair question. This one of those areas that does not seem to have a proper answer. One 1 hand you are violating the NEC and the listing of the breaker, on the other hand the lateral conductors are owned and controlled by the POCO.
I can say that I have seen more than once meter sockets and such destroyed by overheating due to more load than the POCO expected and the conductors were sized by them. Tough spot for the customer as while the POCO controls and owns, for example, the meter socket it is the customer that buys and installs it when it has to be replaced.