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Overview
It is essential to ensure that the main panel can adequately support the electrical load of the entire system. If a large solar system is connected to a small meter, it may overload it, leading to potential safety hazards. If it is determined the size of the system is too large for the main panel to handle, an MPU will be added to the project.
In some cases, an MPU will be added to a project, whose main panel does not meet our project acceptance criteria. For the full list of types of panels that require an automatic MPU, please refer to our Qualified Projects article.
Scope of Work
A Main Panel Upgrade involves removing the old meter and replacing it with a larger meter. Once the meter spot results are received, ESP can perform the work. Please note, If the utility determines a disconnect is required to upgrade the main panel, the schedule will depend on the utility company's schedule which is typically at least a week but potentially over a month out.
An MPU will usually take 1-2 days to complete. After the new meter is installed, most utilities will require a rough inspection of the new meter. During this inspection, the utility will inspect the electrical work on the open panel.
Some things to note:
- If there is a disconnect, the inspection must take place before they can turn the power back on.
- A rough inspection will take place before the wall is repaired for flush-meters
- Flush meters will require an additional team to repair the stucco on the wall on a separate day from the MPU.
- If a relocation was determined in the meter spot, the inspector must perform a line transfer to shift the power from the old panel to the new one.
MPU Process Video