Guidelines for Acquiring Electrical Service
If you are building or renovating a business in Sioux Lookout and require a new or upgraded service, the process you follow depends on the size of the service you are having installed.
If your service is to be less than 200 Amps, you follow the same six steps as a residential customer.
If you service is to be 3Æ 200-amps or greater and 1Æ greater than 200-amps, the following 12 steps need to be completed for this process:
Step One – Read our Conditions of Service
As a first step, we recommend you read the Sioux Lookout Hydro Conditions of Service. The document can be found on our website at www.siouxlookouthydro.com. Print copies are also available at our Office located at 25 Fifth Avenue.
Step Two – Meet with the Operations Manager
Set up an appointment with our Operations Manager to discuss the requirements of your new or upgraded electrical service and where it should be located. Call our Office at 737-3800 to make arrangements.
Step Three – Provide Information
You will be required to provide the information listed on the Service Information Sheet. Information required will include, but not be limited to:
- Dimensioned project layout drawings showing electrical installations. Transformer foundation installation to be shown as per Sioux Lookout Hydro Standards. Duct runs to be shown using 4” type DB2 PVC at 40” depth with 6” sand bed above and below. Marker tape to be shown 1’ down from grade. Pull rope to be in duct. The contractor will be asked to provide a signed copy of this project drawing declaring that the installation complies with the drawing.
- All service and load data.
- Shop drawings for the service entrance and metering equipment, which must comply with Sioux Lookout Hydro Standards. All service entrance and metering equipment must meet Sioux Lookout Hydro Standards. Please note that all service entrance equipment (except the main breaker, which must be sealable) up to and including the meter cabinet must have hinged and lockable doors. Meters shall be mounted to a centered 5’6” above the floor. Meter sockets must be approved by the Operations Manager prior to installation. Services over 600-amp must have the bus bar out from the main breaker for CT mounting.
- Grounding design (ground resistance to be 8 ohms maximum)
- The quantity of meters required for the service.
Note that customers requesting a service over 500 kW are required to install interval metering.
Once you have provided all information deemed necessary by the Operations Manager, we will proceed with reviewing your electrical service.
Step Four – Estimate to Connect
After reviewing all your information and finding the details acceptable, the Operations Manager will complete a Sioux Lookout Hydro Estimate to Connect Form. This document will include the estimated cost of the labour and materials supplied by Sioux lookout Hydro to install/upgrade the service. The Estimate to Connect can be directed to the property owner or an authorized representative for the property owner.
This Estimate to Connect must be paid in full before Sioux Lookout Hydro can proceed with any work. Once the work is completed, a “true-up” will be completed and the customer will be billed for actual costs.
After the Estimate to Connect is issued:
- We will officially communicate with the person named on the Estimate to Connect. Unofficial communication may take place with other, but any directives required either way will be between the person named on the Estimate to Connect and the Operations Manager.
- The person named on the Estimate to Connect will receive an invoice from Sioux Lookout Hydro within one week, detailing the cost to have Sioux Lookout Hydro complete the required work to connect/reconnect the new or upgraded service.
Step Five – Make Payment
The invoice, based on the Estimate to Connect, will need to be paid in full before Sioux Lookout Hydro can proceed with any work on the electrical service. Payment can be made in the following ways:
- By forwarding a cheque or money order to our Office at 25 Fifth Avenue, PO Box 908, Sioux Lookout, ON, P8T 1B3, or
- By Cash, Interac, Cheque, Money Order, Accepted Credit Cards in person at our Office, 25 Fifth Avenue (between 8:00 am to 4:30 pm weekdays)
Step Six – Changes, If Required
If, after the Estimate to Connect is issued, you require changes to the work to be done by Sioux Lookout Hydro the actual costs to revise the drawing will be charged to the customer and will be reflected in the true-up when the work is completed.
Step Seven – Contact the ESA
Either you or the contractor doing the electrical work must contact the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) at 1-877-372-7233 to obtain an electrical permit.
Step Eight – Arrange Inspections
Three preliminary inspections and one final inspection must be performed by Sioux Lookout Hydro. These are separate from the ESA Inspection, which is also required. It is recommended that you request the Sioux Lookout Hydro preliminary and final inspections before the ESA inspection to avoid having to request ESA re-inspection should Sioux Lookout Hydro require modifications.
- The first Sioux Lookout Hydro preliminary inspection is required after the gravel bed is prepared for the transformer foundation.
- The second Sioux lookout Hydro preliminary inspection is required after the transformer foundation and ducts are installed in accordance with Sioux Lookout Hydro Standards.
- The third Sioux Lookout Hydro preliminary inspection is required after the ground grid is installed.
Step Nine – Sioux Lookout Hydro Final Inspection
When the contactor has completed the electrical service you or your authorized representative must notify the Operations Manager that the electrical service is available for Sioux Lookout Hydro final inspection. Both Sioux lookout Hydro and ESA inspections need to be completed satisfactorily and payment must be received in full before we will be able to connect/reconnect the new or upgraded service.
Note that the cost for additional inspections by the Operations Manager or any additional work that is required by Sioux Lookout Hydro staff will be added to the cost of the job and reflected in the true-up.
Step Ten – Set Up Sioux Lookout Hydro Account
If this is a new service, you will need to set up an account at our Office, located at 25 Fifth Avenue. Call 737-3800 for more information.
Step Eleven – ESA Final Inspection
When the electrical work is complete and has been approved by Sioux Lookout Hydro, contact the ESA to arrange for an inspection.
When the ESA Inspector’s authorization is received, our Customer Accounts Department will prepare a service connection order for each meter. These orders are forwarded to our Operations Department. Once Sioux Lookout Hydro has completed the necessary line work and the inspection has been completed and approved, the new or upgraded service will be connected within 10 working days.