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Installing Power to a New Home




Application for electrical service

Application for electrical service can be made by calling our Customer Service Center at (207) 973-2000.

Please provide the following information when calling so that we may supply you with electric service on a timely basis:

  • Type of service required
    Residential, Mobile Home, Commercial, or Industrial
  • Permanent or temporary service
    Permanent service is usually attached to the house or building and will be in use indefinitely. Temporary service (typically used for construction and usually hooked to a temporary pole or structure) is electrical service provided for a period of time generally not to exceed six months.
  • Site location and address of service
    The number on the nearest utility pole, approximate distance to area landmarks or other helpful directions are appreciated.
  • Mailing address, phone number, date of birth, license or other ID, Social Security number and name of your employer.
  • Name of the electrician
    The name of the electrician performing the work.

If telephone service is required, notify your telephone company immediately. In most areas, we work with the telephone company, so timely involvement may reduce the time required to provide electrical service.

Local or State Authorization

Versant Power is required by the laws of the State of Maine to provide service only to structures that are in compliance with state and local ordinances regarding the development of subdivisions and shoreland zone areas. If your building is in an organized township, we will send you a Subdivision/Shoreland Authorization Form that local officials will need to complete. If your building is in an unorganized township, we will refer you to the Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC), 1-800-452-8711 or (207) 287-2631. LUPC will provide you with a Building Permit, and we will require a copy of this permit for our records.

Electrical Inspection

Before work begins you need to contact your city or town to see if you must obtain a permit, and whether local inspection is required upon completion of work. If the town or city performs their own inspections, they will notify Versant Power when the new service passes inspection. If no local electrical inspection is required by your town or city and the service is temporary for the purpose of construction, the electrician must call the state (624-8603, 624-8616 or 624-8635) to obtain a permit for the temporary service. When you're ready for permanent service and if the service is single-family residential non-manufactured housing, you'll need to provide a certificate of inspection to Versant Power signed by a master electrician or a state inspector stating that the service meets the requirements of the code. Nonresidential and multifamily (three or more) require state electrical permits.

Line Versant Power Provides

Versant Power provides and maintains the standard service drop at no cost to you. Distances over 150 feet from our pole may require a private secondary service pole. If no additional poles are required, we will schedule our crew to run the wires from our pole to the point of attachment.

Line Extensions

If it is necessary for a primary line extension to be installed due to connected load or distance:

      • If you're a residential customer, we will ask you to sign a contribution in aid of construction contract ($14.59 per foot) plus the cost of ledge and trim multiplied by (1.18) to account for the tax effect of the upfront payment to fund the extension. Any distance over 2,000 feet needs to be paid as a contribution in aid of construction (prepayment). 
      • If you're a developer who would like the line built into a subdivision, we will ask that you make a contribution in aid of construction to fund the extension. The option of paying monthly surcharges is not applicable for developers. Versant Power will obtain state/municipal permits needed for placing new lines along public roads and for crossing railroad tracks or bodies of water. The customer will be responsible for obtaining necessary permits for privately owned lines.
      • If the line is owned by Versant Power, then permission will be necessary from you. If the line crosses land other than yours, whether you own the line or Versant Power owns the line, permission from that property owner is required.

      The following documents and information should be brought to the initial meeting with the Versant Power service planner at your site:

      • A copy of your deed, lease, or 10-year legal interest to the property.
      • A copy of that portion of the town tax map that shows your lot and all abutting or affected property owners. Town tax maps are available at your town office. Make sure the tax map shows the page number.
      • A copy of your subdivision plan or surveyor's plan.
      • If there are trees obstructing the area where lines are to be run from the pole to your dwelling, you will be required to have them trimmed or removed before service lines are installed.

Underground Installations

These lines are generally more expensive and complicated to install than standard overhead facilities.

      • You will need to pay the excess cost reflecting the total difference between what it would have cost to provide service via a standard overhead facility compared to the actual cost of the underground facility. The excess cost portion is a nonrefundable payment in advance.
      • Line extension contracts may be necessary.
      • You will be required to provide trench excavation, backfill, conduit, an installed 1/2-inch pull rope, transformer foundation and an as built surveyor's attested plan on Mylar.
      • State of Maine requires that where any private facilities are in the public way, the customer must provide the electric utility with certified copies of the approved permits before power can be supplied to the customer (S.P.7.1-LD, 133, Sec. 2.35-A MRSA paragraph 2305).
      • State of Maine and towns also require the customer to obtain a road opening permit before digging in any public way. Please contact the appropriate town or state officials.

Private Lines

The customer also has the right to hire a Private Contractor to build their line extension as long as the line is not in a public way. Before Versant Power can energize the line, we ask the customer to mark the private poles with numbers we provide. If another customer requests power from a privately owned line, you must contact us. In order for Versant Power to provide a customer with service, the electric company must own the distribution line. 

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Requirements for Temporary Service

Temporary service may be either for construction power pending the installation of permanent power or for short duration non-permanent requirements.

A. Construction Power Service

      • Construction power service will be provided to customers that demonstrate their intent to construct permanent service units that would meet the requirements of Versant Power’s Terms and Conditions for a permanent service. All facilities installed for temporary service that will not be used for the permanent service are subject to Up & Down Charges.

B. Short Duration or Non-Permanent Service

      • Requirements for service that do not meet the requirements of Section 5 of the Company’s Terms and Conditions for Line Extensions, the Residential Development Contract, or for which the Company has reason to believe that the service is for a short duration (i.e., service to a camper trailer, mobile office, bridge or highway construction projects) shall be subject to Up & Down Charges. Up & Down Charges shall be based on the estimated cost for all labor to construct or install facilities to serve the customer, all labor to dismantle those facilities and the value of any non-salvageable material that were expended exclusive of service drops in excess of 150 feet. All Up & Down Charges shall be paid in advance of the work being done.

PRICING SHORT DURATION OR NON-PERMANENT SERVICES:

A. Aerial Service Drops:

      • Single phase up to 150 feet of 2/3 triplex service cable $400*
      • Single phase of 2/3 triplex service cable in excess of 150 feet $325*
      • Single Phase up to 150 feet of 1/0 triplex service cable $450*
      • Single Phase of 1/0 triplex service cable in excess of 150 feet $375*
      • Three phase up to 150 feet of 1/0 quad service cable $500*
      • Three phase of 1/0 quad service cable in excess of 150 feet $400*

B. Pole Mounted Distribution Transformers

      • Single phase transformers $285 per transformer *
      • Three phase transformer banks $984 per bank of three transformers*
      • *Notes:
        • The pricing for the service drops and transformers above is based on the locations of poles and transformers being readily accessible by material handling over the road bucket trucks.
        • When the installation of temporary or non-permanent services require the use of crane trucks or off road equipment these installations shall be priced on a project-by-project basis.
        • When the installation or removal of temporary or non-permanent services require work outside of Versant Power’s normal work hours, these services will be priced on a project-by-projects basis Temporary or Non-Permanent services requiring connection to underground distribution systems will be priced on a project-by-project basis.

Forms

Download: Subdivision/Shoreland Authorization Form
Download: Certificate of Inspection

Please Identify Your Service Area

Click on your district on the map, or select a zip code or town from the lists.

Select Your District on the Map Below

Maine Public Service District Bangor Hydro District
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Versant Power provides electric delivery service to two areas – the Bangor Hydro District and the Maine Public District.

            The Bangor Hydro District includes Hancock, Piscataquis and Washington Counties and most of Penobscot County.
            The Maine Public District serves Aroostook County and a small piece of Penobscot County.

Because some information varies by District, please identify your District on the map above, or enter your town or zipcode. If you need information on both Districts,  switch back and forth at any time by selecting the district selector button.

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