New Electric Service for Commercial Customers

Estimated timeline: 5 – 7 business days

Once you have a valid 911 address, complete our Electric Service Request Form to begin your new project. There are three ways to submit the form:

Online: Access our user-friendly portal and submit your form electronically.

Email: Send your form to CustomerElectricConnectionsUNY@nationalgrid.com

A dedicated Establish Service Representative (ESR) will guide you through the process and connect you with your job owner, who will be your main point of contact until the end of your electric project. The job owner will communicate with you throughout the project and may request a Proposal for Electric Service (PES) package depending on your project scope.

Once we have your project details and required documents, and at least 3 out of 4 pre-design requirements are met (such as foundation, septic, well, or driveway), we'll move to Step 2: the design phase.

Estimated timeline: 21 - 36 business days

During the design phase of your electric connections project, our goal is to develop a comprehensive plan that meets your needs and complies with regulations. We want to ensure that the design aligns with your requirements and provides reliable service. 

To begin, a distribution designer will be assigned to review your project and determine if an Engineering review is required (any request exceeding 200kw will require an Engineering review).  If a site visit with you or your contractor is necessary, the distribution designer will coordinate the site meeting with you.  It is important to have all key decision makers present during this meeting to ensure that the design meets your needs and adheres to the required standards. 

During the site visit, the distribution designer will analyze the site and consider several factors such as load calculations, voltage requirements, potential easement requirements, potential permit requirements, and equipment placement. This thorough analysis will help in creating a tailored design that optimizes efficiency and reliability. Please note that in some cases, you may be responsible for securing easements or permits based on your project requirements. Your distribution designer will inform you if this is necessary and will guide you through the process.

The estimated timeline for the design phase is approximately 21 business days, however if an Engineering review is required it could add an additional 15 business days to the overall design time.  This timeline may vary depending on the scope of your project.  If easements or special permits are required, the timeliness of securing these documents can impact your overall timeline.

During this phase, we will also provide a general idea of the cost ranges you can expect. These estimates are subject to change and may require a thorough evaluation of your project to provide a precise cost assessment. For a more accurate and detailed cost estimate tailored to your project, we recommend contacting our team directly to discuss your specific needs.

Estimated timeline: will vary based on project requirements

Before we can move forward with scheduling, it is essential to complete preliminary requirements. Pre-requisites could vary based on your project, but some might include signing the service agreement, obtaining permits, securing easements, and making your full payment. 

Estimated timeline: 4 – 6 weeks

Once all pre-construction requirements have been met, your commercial electric connection project will move into the scheduling phase.  Our team will conduct a thorough site pre-check to ensure readiness.

When your site is confirmed ready, we will schedule your project for construction. Our goal is to carry out construction accurately, safely, and in compliance with regulations. Scheduling work for commercial projects typically ranges from 4-6 weeks. If there are customer requirements during the scheduling phase, that will be communicated to you during the design phase (i.e., trenching, conduit, transformer pad base).  National Grid will work with you to schedule any applicable customer related inspections to ensure construction is moving forward. Please note that the construction schedule may be subject to changes or delays due to weather conditions, prior scheduled work, and unforeseen emergencies. The complexity of your project along with the availability of resources, materials, and equipment can all impact the estimated timeline. We will do our best to keep you informed of any delays that may occur.

Estimated timeline: will vary depending upon the length of distribution extension that is required to reach your property  (see note about inspector)

Assuming a smooth scheduling phase, we will move forward with the actual construction and installation of your commercial electric connection. This involves setting poles or conductors and ensuring all necessary construction work is complete.

Before energizing your new service, we must obtain a municipal inspection from your electrical inspector who has jurisdiction in your area. It's the responsibility of the electrician to request this inspection, and we cannot proceed until we receive an approved municipal inspection. The licensed electrical inspector will then notify us once the new service has passed the inspection.

Depending on the scope of your project, the construction crew may install your meter. However, if they are not authorized, we will send one of our qualified service technicians to visit your location to complete the meter installation.

Congratulations! Once the construction and installation are complete, your project is considered field complete and if applicable, will progress to project cost reconciliation.