In most cases, power will need to be turned on near the end of the overall project to prepare for the final inspection. The electrician will need power to check for proper rotation of motors on HVAC systems, batteries in emergency luminaires will need to be charged, testing will be required to make sure automated doors function properly, and the fire alarm system will be commissioned.

Many jurisdictions will have special requirements and paperwork that must be filed out to get power turned on before an official certificate of occupancy has been issued for the project. North Carolina for example has amended the NEC^® to include an Article 10 Administrative Section which provides guidelines on when temporary jobsite power can be obtained and what must be in place for this to occur.

As an inspector, try to prepare the electrician ahead of time for what is expected to get AHJ approval to energize the electrical system. Remind the electrician to coordinate with the electric utility company so they can get the project on their schedule if they need to set a transformer and pull secondaries into the service equipment. Sometimes the utility company will require several weeks’ notice before they place the project on their schedule.

The electrician should never try to convince the inspector that the electric utility company cannot set a transformer and pull secondaries to the service equipment without the inspector’s green tag on the service. This is an old trick, and the inspector is smarter than this.

The utility company is not governed by the AHJ electrical inspector and can set a transformer any time they feel that the project is far enough along to justify it. This is simply a tactic used by the utility company to avoid being called out to construction sites every day to energize service equipment that is nowhere near ready for it. They will come out upon request and see that the job is far from ready and then say, “call us back out when there’s an electrical inspector’s green tag on the service”. This doesn’t mean that they will never pull secondaries to service equipment without the inspector’s green tag and the electrical inspector knows this. The inspector does not appreciate being pressured into approving service equipment that’s not ready just to help the electrician get on the utility company’s schedule faster.

Most jurisdictions throughout the US will only place a green tag on the electrical service when the following has been completed: (This is not an all inclusive list of every possible scenario that can be encountered)

• Temporary power application filled out (if required) and any applicable fees paid. There will be disclaimer statements on these types of applications so that the AHJ has proof that the electrician is responsible to maintain safety to ensure that shock or electrocution does not occur.
• Service equipment must be installed.
• All service conductors and feeders must be pulled into the service equipment and terminated at each end. An inspector will not usually give approval to energize panelboards or equipment that still needs wires pulled into it or has unterminated wires.
• All grounding terminations must be made and the grounding electrode system must be complete.
• Utility company approval on the service equipment.
• Any installed GFPE service disconnects, or feeder overcurrent devices rated 1000 amps or larger on 480/277V WYE systems to be third party tested and paperwork present showing an approved test result.
• Downstream panelboards and equipment fed from the service to be installed with feeders terminated.
• At least one panelboard downstream of the service must be 100% complete and ready to energize (including all branch circuits and the equipment they supply installed) and all wires terminated at each end. Basically, the AHJ will want one justifiable reason to allow power to be turned on, other than the typical excuse “the utility company will not set their transformer and pull secondaries until the AHJ has placed a green tag on the service”. A good justification to energize is when the mechanical (HVAC) panel is ready, and all HVAC equipment is installed and wired.
• Lockout devices present for any service overcurrent devices that supply downstream equipment that is installed with feeders terminated at each end, but not yet ready to be energized.