As clean energy and new electrical appliances catch on with consumers, the importance of supporting infrastructure also increases. Improving transmission lines and installing more electric vehicle chargers, for example, have attracted attention and investment.

The trend has also increased demand for adequate connections behind and in front of the residential service meter. A July 2024 technical brief from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, “Sizing Electric Service Panels and Utility Infrastructure for Residential Electrification and Distributed Energy Resources Adoption,” outlines considerations. 

It summarizes key issues for electric service equipment and utility infrastructure to support the changes taking place as a result of greater residential customer electrification and the increased adoption of distributed energy resources (DERs), such as rooftop solar and battery storage.

The brief explains that reliable residential service depends on several individual components located at or near the meter, including service entrance wires and conductors, weather head, conduit and mast, meter socket, breaker panel and customer conductors. Additionally, utility components, such as distribution transformers, secondary conductors and service conductors play an important role.

The lab notes that widespread customer adoption of DER and electrification technologies are “driving significant changes” in the sizing, strategies and use of these components. Several customer preferences are driving this trend.

For example, many communities across the country are embracing a transition away from gas to electric-powered appliances to help cut carbon emissions. So-called electrification of residential homes entails replacing old gas-powered appliances with electric versions, including heat pumps, water heaters, stoves and clothes dryers. The effect of converting to electric versions of these appliances depends on the specific technology and their power needs.

The paper adds that the widespread adoption of EVs and the installation of EV service equipment, commonly referred to as charging equipment, are also driving residential customer load additions and service upgrades.

Finally, the paper notes that DERs, the most common of which are rooftop solar panels coupled with battery storage, do not typically require panel upgrades because they do not create a load addition. However, other factors come into play when this equipment is installed, such as old or unsafe panels, which may also lead to an upgrade.

The lab explains that factors such as the type and age of the main breaker panel, the main breaker size, the number of breaker spaces available and safety are considered when evaluating the need for residential panel upgrades. It notes that the growth of electrification and solar PV is also driving utilities to reconsider the sizing of its existing and new service transformers.