I tried this 5 years ago and they told me I owned the wires out to the pole at the street (I also have a pole 100 ft from the street). They recommended I bury the wire because they would do it for free. Go figure. They want me to replace the overhead wire but they would bury the wire for free. Makes no sense.
I assume you asked them to change the wires. They put you down as a service upgrade. Put it in as a service call. Tell them you saw a squirrel blow up and they were smoking and sparking. (Got a blown up TV you can say was destroyed in the "surge"?) Then it is a maintenance call. They will still say "too bad" on the TV but it takes their mind off replacing the old wire. Around here all of the old 3 wire was replaced with triplex years ago.
If they own it, they will determine if it needs replacing, but it may be possible that you own it. Utility companies have tried various ownership schemes over the years, for example in ConEdison of NY territory I've upgraded underground services to 200 amp where the utility owed the underground wire up to the meter and they refuse to replace their #6 conductors. They also have a rule for overhead services that they will go
120 feet from the road, if that doesn't reach your house, you must install a private pole and furnish and maintain the overhead conductors from your pole to your house, which may be a similar situation to what you have
I need to have my power lines replaced outside the house. They are about 60 yrs. old, and some of the insulation is flaking off. They are going through a tree. This is the 3 wires that go from the meter to the pole. The power company said it will cost $325.00 to do the job! This is their equipment! Is this common practice today?
Andy
If it is their wires, then YOU don't have a need. Maybe a want, but why a need? Their wire, their problem.
In most cases, the wire from the pole to the house are your wires, not theirs. All things considered, it is not a bad price. If they are your wires, you can have your own electrician replace them but I'm guessing it will cost more than their price.
Utility company laws vary, it's entirely possible that regardless who "owns" the wires, they may be responsible for maintaining them. Underground wires don't get knocked down in storms
recommended
Makes plenty of sense- buried service cuts WAY down on service calls for them. Here in the midwest, almost all new construction has buried service drops. A lot better for the homeowner, too- less hassle with trees, gutter cleaning, etc. If the power company offered free burial to me, even if I had to pay for the cable, I'd jump on it. (standard disclaimer- the finish landscaping, and any driveway repairs, etc, are usually the homeowners problem. They backfill and hydroseed, but they don't water or make it pretty.)
aem sends...
This is Turtle.
Louisiana has been down that road before and down here everything from the pecker head into the house is the home owners stuff. Everything from the Pecker Head to poles belongs to the power companys. They got into this by the power company saying the wire going to the house was the customers line. then there was a fellow who tested the case by telling the power company that the next morning he would be disconnecting the power from the power pole for he was going to reroute the wires going to his house and was going to do the work up on the power company pole hisself with out the power company permission. then there was a court battle which ended with the power company taking claim to the wire coming to your house to keep the customers off the power poles.
Now if you have to have a pole on your property to reach your house. you have to pay for the wire after the first pole on your land and you own that wire. Now if anybody else wants to use those wires or poles. The power company has to buy them back or rent the use of them to go to another customer. if there is anothe customer, the power company will buy back the poles and wire to keep from paying useage to the owner of the wire and poles.
TURTLE
I have 5 poles on my land, and the power co services all of them up to my power meter at no cost to me.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.