Panel and service upgrades in Ottawa: 100 A to 200 A, fuses to breakers
Tell us your current service size, what you plan to add, and where the meter is. One independent Ottawa electrical contracting company gets the request and calls you to look at the panel and price the upgrade.
In short
- 01A basic panel replacement runs $1,500–$3,000 and a full service upgrade with meter and wiring $3,000–$5,000 (HomeStars, Canada-wide).
- 02When the work changes your service size, Hydro Ottawa asks for its Service Request form three to four weeks before the project starts.
- 03For a service upgrade the utility disconnects the power, and ESA inspects before power is restored.
- 04With overhead service, the homeowner owns the mast, the meter base and the wires to the panel; Hydro Ottawa owns the wires from the pole.
Typical ranges
Source HomeStars, Costs to Upgrade Electrical Panel, Canada-wide, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. HomeStars, Electrician Hourly Rate in Canada: 2026 Guide, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. Utility steps: Hydro Ottawa, Electrical service requests, seen 29.10.2026. Inspection: ESA, Notifications and Inspections, seen 29.10.2026. Wiring: ESA, Aluminum Wiring and Knob and Tube Wiring, seen 29.10.2026. Contracts: Ontario, guide for home renovation businesses, seen 29.10.2026.
What to ask before you book
- Q1Does my job need more service from Hydro Ottawa, or only a new panel at the same size?
- Q2Will you file the Electrical Service Request with Hydro Ottawa, and are their fees in your price?
- Q3Does your price include a new meter base or mast if Hydro Ottawa asks for one?
- Q4How many hours will the power be off, and who books the ESA service inspection?
- Q5What is your ECRA/ESA licence number, and will I get the Certificate of Acceptance?
Before the visit
- Photo of the panel with the door open and the main breaker or fuse block visible
- Photo of the meter and the mast outside, with the line coming in
- Your current service size, if it is on the main breaker: 60 A, 100 A, 125 A
- What you plan to add: EV charger, heat pump, hot tub, basement unit, electric range
- Year the house was built, and whether it has fuses, aluminum or knob-and-tube wiring
Panel swap or more service: say which you need
Two jobs share one name. A panel swap replaces an old box, a fuse panel or a full panel at the same capacity. A service upgrade raises the amperage from the street, often 100 A to 200 A, and can involve a new meter base, mast or service cable.
Write what you want to add in the request: an EV charger, a heat pump, a basement unit, a hot tub. The company sizes the job from that list, and the list decides whether Hydro Ottawa has to be involved.
The Hydro Ottawa steps
When the work changes your service, an Electrical Service Request goes to Hydro Ottawa three to four weeks before the start date; ask the company whether it files the form for you. Hydro Ottawa contacts you within 10 business days and emails a customer layout that sets out the project’s electrical work and the estimated costs. You pay the fees in that layout, then call (613) 738-6418 to book the date.
Each property gets one free layout per rolling 12 months. Extra charges can apply if the crew arrives before the site is ready, or if the layout has to be redone.
Who owns what on the outside wall
With overhead service, Hydro Ottawa owns the wires from the pole to your home. The homeowner owns the service mast, the wires inside it, the meter base and the wires from the meter base to the panel. A storm-bent mast is the owner’s repair, made by an electrical contractor under an ESA permit and inspected before Hydro Ottawa reconnects. Hydro Ottawa notes many home insurance policies cover mast repairs.
What sets the price
HomeStars’ Canada-wide guide puts a basic panel replacement at $1,500–$3,000 and a full service upgrade with meter and wiring at $3,000–$5,000. A meter base or mast upgrade adds $500–$1,500, and an underground cable upgrade runs $5,000–$7,000 or more.
Old wiring changes the scope. ESA says homes built from the mid-1960s to the late 1970s may have aluminum wiring, and knob-and-tube was used from the early 1900s to the 1940s. Some insurers will not cover a house with aluminum wiring without an ESA inspection, and many will not provide or renew coverage on a house with knob-and-tube. If the electrician finds either one, ask for that work priced as a separate line.
A quote worth comparing shows:
- Panel make and size, and the number of breaker spaces.
- Whether Hydro Ottawa’s layout fees are inside the price or billed to you directly.
- Meter base, mast and grounding work, each as its own line.
- The ESA notification fee and who books the service inspection.
- The day of the cut-over and roughly how long the power is off.
Ontario requires a written agreement for work over $50, and the bill can go at most 10% above an estimate in the contract unless you sign a change.
Who you are dealing with
Ottawa Electric Desk is a request service. One independent Ottawa electrical contracting company receives your request, calls you, prices the upgrade and does the work.
Questions
01What is the difference between a panel swap and a service upgrade?
A panel swap replaces the box and breakers at the same capacity. A service upgrade raises the capacity, for example 100 A to 200 A, and can also involve the meter base, the mast or the cable from the street. Hydro Ottawa counts the second as a change to your electrical service, so it comes with its own request and fees.
02How long does the Hydro Ottawa part take?
Hydro Ottawa asks for the service request three to four weeks before the project. It contacts you within 10 business days and emails a customer layout with the work and the estimated costs. After you pay those fees, you call (613) 738-6418 to book the date.
03My insurer asked about aluminum or knob-and-tube wiring. Is that the same job?
It is separate work, often done in the same visit. ESA says homes built from the mid-1960s to the late 1970s may have aluminum wiring, and knob-and-tube was used from the early 1900s to the 1940s. Some insurers ask for an ESA inspection or a Certificate of Acceptance. Ask your insurer what it needs and put it in the request.
04Will I be without power?
Yes. ESA says that for a service upgrade the utility disconnects the power, and the new service is inspected before power is restored. Ask the company how it schedules the cut-over and the inspection.
05Does Hydro Ottawa charge for the layout?
Each property gets one free customer layout per rolling 12-month period. Extra charges can apply if the crew arrives before the site is ready or the layout is revised.