Separate Panel Space, Rating and Supply Capacity

Define the terms

Ask proposals to identify panelboard work, service equipment, meter or base, service conductors and utility-owned components.

Record labels safely

Use existing photos and safely visible labels only. Do not remove covers or infer capacity from breaker handles.

Separate spaces from capacity

Open spaces do not prove load capacity; a full panel does not alone prove a service upgrade is required.

Map service components

Document known overhead or underground supply, meter location, main equipment and route constraints for assessment.

Keep utility scope distinct

Ask which steps depend on BC Hydro design, scheduling, customer work or outage coordination.

Require an assessment output

Request the load basis, observed limitations, options considered, assumptions, approvals and future-project allowance.

Draw the ownership boundary

Create a one-line project sketch from utility supply through meter, service equipment, panelboards and planned loads. Label customer, building or strata and BC Hydro interfaces as questions until the current project process assigns them.

• Distinguish equipment from conductors
• Show overhead or underground evidence
• Mark inaccessible information unknown

Compare options against one calculation

Require panel replacement, subpanel, load management and service-upgrade proposals to cite the same load inventory, calculation basis and existing-service evidence. Record which constraint each option addresses and which future loads would require reassessment.

• Do not infer capacity from spare spaces
• Keep calculation revisions
• State future-load assumptions

Sequence outage and restoration

Map applications, customer prerequisites, permits, inspections, utility scheduling, shutdown, meter work, labelling and restoration. Identify occupied-building and critical-load arrangements without promising outage timing before the responsible parties confirm it.

• Assign outage communication
• Protect refrigeration and life-safety needs
• Retain inspection closeout

Complete the system-boundary decision sheet

Draw the verified path from BC Hydro supply through meter, service equipment, panelboards and planned loads, then identify customer, utility, City or building and strata responsibilities. Attach the accepted load calculation and safe service evidence. BC Hydro says a qualified electrical contractor must calculate available capacity and that an electrical service upgrade is not always required when a new load is added. Record whether the constraint is calculated service capacity, panel condition, panel spaces, distribution, conductor size, equipment compatibility or a utility requirement; those questions do not automatically have the same remedy. For Burnaby work, confirm the applicable City electrical permit and inspection path rather than assuming Technical Safety BC issues the local installation permit. For every considered option, state the exact constraint addressed, equipment affected, future-load assumptions, application and outage dependencies, restoration and conditions requiring reassessment. Identify the contractor, permit applicant, calculation revision and utility reference. Preserve rejected alternatives and unresolved supply questions. Note whether an EV energy-management option or staged electrification was evaluated, but do not present either as universally suitable. Record the existing and proposed service ratings only from verified documents or qualified observation, and mark any discrepancy between utility, permit and equipment records. Include suite, strata and occupied-building constraints that affect access or shutdown planning. Record the date and source of each capacity fact so later equipment changes can be checked against the correct project revision. This sheet documents the reason for the selected path without treating panel spaces, breaker handles, a familiar ampere rating, historical energy use or a preliminary utility estimate as a standalone capacity conclusion.

• Reference calculation revision
• Label ownership boundaries
• Record utility prerequisites
• Name future-load triggers
• Keep outage assumptions conditional