Code Change Summary: Additional code language now requires listing of meter socket enclosures.

Meter sockets are now required to be listed and properly rated for the applied voltage and ampacity of the electric service. This should help to reduce the number of older meter installations where an existing electric service is replaced with a larger ampacity service but the old meter socket enclosure is left in place for the utility company to worry about.

Often, the utility company assumes that the presence of the inspector’s green tag on a replacement electric service means the meter socket was inspected also for proper ampacity and ratings. As well, quite often, the inspector arrives and only looks at the equipment installed downstream of the meter socket enclosure. Many inspectors aren’t sure where their responsibility stops and the utility company begins.

In some areas of the country, the electric utility company supplies the meter socket enclosure for the electrical service installation.

By having new code language about it in the NEC^®, it now becomes clear that the electrician and the inspector both share responsibility in making sure the meter socket enclosure is listed and rated properly.

Below is a preview of Article 230. See the actual NEC^® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on their link to free access to the 2017 NEC^® edition of NFPA 70.