Cost to run electric service to home 500 feet away

skinnersone

Hello I just built a new home and need to get electrical service to my house. I am 500 foot from the nearest power lines which border the front of my property. I know the electric company will install the first 100 feet above ground and after that it is up to the homeowner.

From that point I would like to run the power underground to avoid cutting a 400 foot swath through my property. Can someone please give me an idea of what it would cost run the power underground the remaining 400 feet.

I would be digging and backfilling my own trench for the cables. Thanks for any responses

SecretSquirrel

I'm assuming that you are refering to ditching and burying cable for the primary coming off the power pole and setting a transformer near the house. Is that correct? I seriously doubt that any utility would allow a homeowner to be involved in that aspect of the electrical distribution installation as they have their own requirements and contractors to perform that type of work, not to mention the liability involved. Correct me if I'm wrong on this.

If you're speaking of the utility dropping a line and setting a transformer near the pole and you running the secondary wiring underground then that is not feasible not only from an economic standpoint but you would suffer from a huge voltage drop. It's always best and less costly to get the primary (high voltage) as close to the delivery point as possible. I'm not saying that this cannot be done but it has its caveats. There are a couple of really sharp electricians and contractors that frequent this forum and I'm sure they can point out the pros and cons.

With that being said, I am faced with a similar situation except that my utility gives a $4,000 credit for the first 500 feet of an underground burial of the primary wiring and setting of a transformer. If I need to extend that distance then then I pay for the remainder. None the less, the primary wiring and transformer installation is performed by the utility. This is in the mountains of NC and the pricing may be different in your area. I hope that gives you some idea of the cost.

JohnJ0906

Have you discussed this with the POCO in your area? I think that 1st you need to find out what you can and cannot do, and also what you NEED to do for the POCO.

Every POCO has different requirements, so it's hard to comment on this without more info.

The Squirrel had some good points.

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