Underground Service Change
If your home needs more power than the current service can deliver, or the equipment between the meter and the panel has deteriorated, a panel replacement alone won't solve it. The service entrance itself needs to be replaced. That's an underground service change.
An underground service change replaces the electrical infrastructure between your meter and your panel. New service entrance conductors, a new meter base, a new panel, and a new grounding system. This page covers what's involved, why the project is bigger than a panel replacement, and what to expect from the process.
This page describes the general scope of an underground service change. Every home is different. We evaluate your specific service entrance, panel, wiring, and local code requirements on-site before providing an estimate.
What Gets Replaced
A panel replacement swaps the panel and the distribution equipment for the house. An underground service change replaces everything from the meter to the panel, plus the grounding system. The scope is larger because the problem extends beyond the panel itself.
Meter base
The exterior enclosure that houses the utility meter. The existing meter base is replaced with one that meets current utility specifications. In Xcel Energy territory (which covers most of our service area), the new meter base must include a lever bypass mechanism that allows the utility to service the meter without interrupting power. Other providers in the area, including CORE Electric Cooperative, have their own meter and access requirements.
Service entrance conductors
The wires running from the meter base into the panel. These carry the full electrical demand of the house. If the existing conductors are undersized for the new service rating, or the insulation has degraded, they get replaced.
Conduit
The rigid pipe that protects the underground conductors between the meter and the house. If the existing conduit is intact and large enough for the new conductors, it stays. If it's collapsed, undersized, or damaged by water intrusion or root growth, it needs to be replaced. That involves excavation. In Colorado, an expansion fitting (slip coupling) is required where the underground conduit meets the meter base to absorb ground movement from the freeze-thaw cycle along the Front Range.
Panel
The panel inside your house. Same scope as a panel replacement: new enclosure, new breakers, new connections to every circuit. The new panel meets the same code requirements that apply to any panel replacement, including surge protection (NEC 230.67), exterior emergency disconnect (NEC 230.85), and Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) / Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protection where required by your jurisdiction.
Grounding system
On a service change, the entire grounding system is brought up to current National Electrical Code (NEC) standards. This includes two ground rods, a ground bond to the cold water pipe within 5 feet of where it enters the building, and the grounding conductor from the panel to the meter. Grounding is often the most variable part of the project because the work depends on conditions that aren't visible until the project is underway.
What You Own vs. What the Utility Owns
Not everything between the street and your panel belongs to the utility. This is one of the most common points of confusion, and it directly affects what's in scope for the project.
In a typical underground setup in Xcel Energy territory, the utility owns the transformer and the underground lateral (the buried cables from the transformer to your meter). The homeowner owns the meter base, the conduit from the meter into the house, the service entrance conductors, the panel, and the grounding system.
If the conduit running under your yard has collapsed, that's the homeowner's responsibility to replace. If the utility's lateral needs to be upgraded to deliver more capacity, that's a utility project on their timeline.
Ownership boundaries vary by provider. CORE Electric Cooperative, which serves parts of Douglas, Arapahoe, and southern Jefferson County, has its own ownership and access requirements. We sort out which components are in scope during the on-site evaluation.
Why an Underground Service Change Is Needed
Most homeowners don't seek out a service change. It usually surfaces during an evaluation for something else: a panel replacement, an EV charger installation, or a home inspection.
The home needs more power than the current service can deliver
The existing service entrance conductors are sized for the current rating. If the home needs a higher rating to support new equipment (EV charging, heat pump, addition), the conductors and meter base have to be upgraded to match.
The service entrance equipment has deteriorated
Corrosion on the meter base, water intrusion into the underground conduit, or degraded conductor insulation. These conditions can go unnoticed for years. They surface when an electrician opens the equipment for a panel replacement and finds damage that can't be left in place.
Code compliance on the exterior equipment
Replacing service equipment triggers the exterior emergency disconnect requirement (NEC 230.85). Homes with interior-only panels need an exterior disconnect added between the meter and the panel. In some cases, this means replacing the meter base with a meter-main combination unit or installing a separate disconnect enclosure.
The Process
Every underground service change follows the same sequence. The timeline is longer than a panel replacement because utility coordination is involved, and that scheduling is outside our control.
On-site evaluation
We look at the existing meter base, conduit, service entrance conductors, panel, and grounding system. We check whether the existing underground conduit can be reused or needs replacement, and assess the grounding scope based on the cold water pipe location and soil conditions. No estimate gets written without seeing the full picture.
Permit
An electrical permit is required in every Colorado jurisdiction. We pull the permit and handle the paperwork. The permit fee and the time to file and coordinate everything is part of the project.
Utility application
We submit the disconnect/reconnect application to your utility provider (Xcel Energy for most of our service area, CORE Electric Cooperative in parts of Douglas, Arapahoe, and southern Jefferson County). The utility sets the date based on their scheduling. This step determines the project timeline. It can take weeks depending on workload and season. In some cases, Xcel scheduling has taken up to three months.
Materials
Materials are ordered once the utility date is confirmed. Every installation is custom. Panel size, wire sizing, meter base type, and grounding components are all determined by the specific conditions and needs at your home.
Pre-work (when possible)
In some cases, the panel and grounding system can be installed before the scheduled utility disconnect date. When the layout allows it, this reduces the scope of work on the outage day.
The outage day
Power goes off. The old meter base and service entrance conductors come out. The new equipment goes in. Every circuit gets reconnected and tested. The grounding system is completed. Power is off for the full working day. We need access to every room to trace circuits and verify the panel directory.
Inspection
The city or county inspector reviews the installation. The inspection has to pass before the utility will restore permanent power.
Power restoration
Once the inspection passes, the utility restores the meter and power is back on.
Documentation
You get a passed inspection on file, a panel directory identifying every circuit by location, and warranty documentation. We provide a 1-year parts warranty from the date of final inspection and a lifetime workmanship warranty.
What Affects the Scope
No two underground service changes are the same. The scope depends on what's in the ground, what's on the wall, and what's inside the house.
Conduit condition
If the existing underground conduit is intact and large enough for the new conductors, it stays. If it's collapsed, undersized, or compromised by water or root intrusion, it has to be replaced. That means excavation between the meter and the point where the conduit enters the house. Trenching disrupts landscaping, and in some cases driveways or hardscaping. In mountain communities and HOA neighborhoods, exterior modifications may require architectural review or design approval before work begins.
Cold water ground distance
The grounding conductor must run from the panel to the cold water pipe within the first five feet of where it enters the building (NEC 250.52). That run has to be continuous. No splices. In homes where the panel and the water entry are on opposite sides of the house, or where the basement is finished, this can mean routing wire through walls or cutting drywall for access.
Soil conditions
Ground rods have to be driven eight feet into the earth. Along the Front Range, dense clay and rock can make that difficult. If bedrock is hit before the rod is fully driven, it may need to go in at an angle or be buried in a trench instead. A second rod is standard because a single rod rarely meets the required ground resistance on its own (NEC 250.53).
Exterior wall and meter location
The new meter base and any required exterior disconnect take up more wall space than the old equipment. Siding, stucco, or other exterior finishes may need to be patched around the new installation. In communities with architectural review requirements, the placement and appearance of exterior electrical equipment may need prior approval.
Planning Ahead
The internal busbar size in the new panel determines how much solar capacity the home can support later under NEC interconnection rules (NEC 705.12). A slightly larger busbar at the time of installation costs very little more but avoids replacing the panel a second time if you add solar, an EV charger, or a heat pump later.
On a standalone service change, Colorado's Electric Ready requirements (HB 22-1362) don't apply. Those are triggered by new construction and major renovations. But if the service change is part of a larger renovation that crosses the major renovation threshold, the Electric Ready provisions may apply to the new or altered portions of the home. We assess whether any triggers apply during the evaluation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is an underground service change different from a panel replacement?
A panel replacement swaps the panel and the distribution equipment for the house. Your amperage and service entrance stay the same. An underground service change replaces the meter base, service entrance conductors, panel, and grounding system. It's an expanded project that changes the home's capacity or addresses deteriorated service entrance equipment.
How long does an underground service change take?
The on-site work is typically completed in one day. The overall project timeline is longer because it includes permitting, utility coordination, and scheduling. The utility application process can add weeks depending on workload and season.
How long will my power be off during an underground service change?
Power is off for the full working day on the scheduled outage date. In some cases, pre-work on the panel and grounding can happen before the outage day while the home still has power, reducing the scope of work during the outage.
Will my yard be dug up for an underground service change?
Only if the underground conduit needs to be replaced. If the existing conduit is intact and large enough for the new conductors, no excavation is needed. If replacement is necessary, a trench is cut between the meter and the point where the conduit enters the house. We determine whether the conduit can be reused during the evaluation.
What if my home is in an HOA or has architectural review requirements?
Exterior electrical equipment (meter bases, disconnects, conduit) may need approval from an architectural review committee before installation. This applies in several communities in our service area, including Highlands Ranch, Genesee, and Ken Caryl. We identify these requirements during the evaluation and coordinate accordingly.
What happens if the electrical inspection doesn't pass?
We correct whatever the inspector flags and schedule a re-inspection. The utility will not restore permanent power until the inspection passes. The job isn't finished until it does.
Who does the work at Dunlap Electric?
The same person who evaluates your service entrance and writes the estimate. We don't hand jobs off to a crew or a subcontractor. One master electrician, start to finish.
This page describes general project scope and is not a quote, diagnosis, or commitment. References to the National Electrical Code (NEC) are based on the 2023 NEC as adopted by Colorado at the time of writing and are for context only. They do not replace the currently adopted code in your jurisdiction. Your local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) and electrical inspector determine what applies to your project. The specific scope and requirements for your home can only be determined by a licensed electrician during an on-site evaluation.
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