At a glance
- 01
Utility booked for you
We arrange the disconnect and reconnect with Enova Power or GrandBridge Energy.
- 02
Sized by calculation
A load calculation under the Ontario Electrical Safety Code decides whether you need 200 A, not a guess.
- 03
Insurance-ready
The ESA Certificate of Acceptance is the document insurers and buyers ask for.
- 04
Room to grow
Spare spaces left for the EV charger, heat pump or hot tub you might add next.
The electrical panel is where every circuit in the house starts, and the service feeding it sets a ceiling on how much power the house can draw. A panel upgrade in Kitchener usually means one of two things: replacing an old or full panel on the same service, or raising the service itself, most often from 100 A to 200 A. We do both, and we look after the utility and ESA steps that come with them.
What usually triggers one
- An EV charger: a Level 2 charger is a large continuous load, and on a 100 A service it often doesn’t fit without help.
- A heat pump or electric heating: replacing a gas furnace or adding a cold-climate heat pump can add a lot of demand.
- A renovation or addition: a new kitchen, basement suite or addition brings circuits the old panel has no space for.
- Insurance: many insurers ask about fuse panels and older equipment, and some will only renew once it is replaced.
- Selling or buying: a home inspector’s note about the panel is a common reason the call comes in during a sale.
- No spaces left: a panel full of tandem breakers and double-taps is telling you it has been stretched.
Do you really need 200 A?
Not always. Section 8 of the Ontario Electrical Safety Code sets out how to calculate a home’s load from its floor area, heating, cooking and other major appliances. Many homes on 100 A have plenty of room once that calculation is done properly. Others are over the line the moment a charger or heat pump is added. For an EV charger specifically, the code allows an energy management device to control the charger so it doesn’t need to be counted in the same way, which can avoid a service upgrade altogether. Our guide to 100 amp vs 200 amp service walks through the trade-offs.
Fuse panels
Plenty of older houses in the region still have a fuse panel, sometimes alongside a small breaker sub-panel added later. Fuses do protect circuits when the right size is used. The trouble is that a 30 A fuse screws into a 15 A socket just as easily, there is rarely room for new circuits, and insurers know it. Replacing a fuse panel is usually done together with a service upgrade, since the meter base and service cable are often just as old.
Panel swap or full service upgrade
A panel replacement keeps the existing service size and changes the panel and breakers. It suits a house where the load is fine but the panel is worn, recalled, or out of spaces.
A service upgrade replaces more: the service entrance cable or mast, the meter base, the main breaker and the panel, plus the grounding and bonding to current code. On an overhead service, the mast may need to be taller or stronger to carry the new conductors. On an underground service, the utility has its own requirements for its side of the connection, and we confirm those before booking.
Working with Enova Power and GrandBridge Energy
A service upgrade can’t happen with the meter live, so the utility has to disconnect the house and reconnect it afterwards. In Kitchener, Waterloo, Wilmot, Woolwich and Wellesley that utility is Enova Power. In Cambridge and North Dumfries it is GrandBridge Energy. We submit the request, agree a date, and plan the day so the house is without power for as short a time as possible.
The utility reconnects once ESA has approved the new installation. That is why we book the inspection alongside the disconnect, rather than finishing the work and then waiting for an inspector.
What the day looks like
- The utility disconnects the service, either at the pole or at the meter.
- We remove the old panel and meter base, install the new equipment and the service conductors, and re-terminate every circuit.
- Each circuit is labelled on a new, accurate panel directory.
- ESA reviews the installation and authorizes the reconnection.
- The utility reconnects and reinstalls the meter, and we test that every circuit is back.
Most single-family upgrades fit in one working day. Plan to have the fridge and freezer closed and anything with a clock reset that evening.
Grounding, bonding and the small things
A new service means a new grounding electrode connection and bonding to the water and gas piping where the code requires it. We also fix what we find along the way: open junction boxes in the basement, undersized wire on a breaker, a dryer circuit on the wrong breaker size. You get a note of each item so nothing is a surprise.
We do panel work across Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and the townships. For a price based on your actual house, request a free quote or call 519-591-1442.
Published prices
CAD · before GST/HST
- 100 to 200 amp service upgradeTypical of 9 published prices ($1,500 to $6,500 or more overall), 9 sources
- $2,500 to $5,000
- Panel replacement, same service sizeTypical of 4 published prices ($1,500 to $3,500 overall), 3 sources
- $1,700 to $3,000
- Fuse box to breaker panelTypical of 3 published prices ($2,000 to $4,000 overall), 3 sources
- $2,000 to $4,000
- Meter base replacement, if needed
- $300 to $600
- ESA notification, service or panel changeContractor fee, ESA 2026 fee guide
- $92
Published prices from Ontario electrical contractors’ own price guides, checked October 25, 2026: ranges, not quotes, and before HST. ESA fees are from ESA’s own 2026 fee guide. Your job gets a written quote after we see it.
Questions people ask
How much does a panel upgrade cost in Kitchener?
Published Ontario prices for a 100 A to 200 A service upgrade run $2,500 to $5,000. Replacing just the panel on the existing service is $1,700 to $3,000. The length of the service run, the mast and the utility’s requirements move the number; see the panel upgrade cost guide.
How long will my power be off for a service upgrade?
For most houses, the power is off for most of one working day: from the utility’s disconnect in the morning to its reconnect after ESA has approved the work. A simple panel swap with no utility involvement is usually shorter.
Do I need a 200 amp service for an EV charger?
Not necessarily. A load calculation shows whether the charger fits on the existing service. If it doesn’t, an energy management device that controls the charger based on the home’s other loads can often avoid the upgrade.
Will my insurance company make me replace a fuse panel?
Some insurers do, and others charge more or ask for an electrician’s assessment. Ask your insurer directly. If you replace it, the ESA Certificate of Acceptance is the proof most of them ask for.
Who contacts Enova Power or GrandBridge Energy?
We do. As the electrical contractor, we request the disconnect and reconnect for your address, arrange the ESA inspection and coordinate the date with you.