Primary Metered Service

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Updated May 2017

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Service Types

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5.1 General introduction

A primary metered service is available in a 15 kV or 25 kV area only.
Typical installations include very large commercial applications where the demand load will exceed 2,500 kVA to one building, an industrial lot with a single customer, or a commercial lot with a single customer.
Please see below for a summary of your responsibilities as the customer and the responsibilities of EPCOR Distribution and Transmission Inc. (EDTI).
If you decide you require a primary metered service, please complete the Commercial Application Form .
See the Additional Information Section (9.0) to learn about such topics as temporary power, splicing, operations, equipment relocation, and pre-inspection checklists.
The information is divided into sections to make it easier for you to find, but EDTI strongly suggests that you read all the information before starting.
If there are any differences between this information and EDTI's Terms and Conditions, the Terms and Conditions will govern. In addition, regulations contained in the Canadian Electrical Code, Alberta Electrical Utility Code, Alberta Safety Codes Act, and Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act must be followed.
For the safety of public, City of Edmonton bylaws require residents or property owners to always keep power assets clear of trees, shrubs, rocks, debris and other items.
The customer must comply with the clearances set out in the Canadian Electrical Code for required vertical clearances when crossing other utilities.

Table 1

Underground

Customer's Responsibilities

Complete civil work on private property. This typically includes all trenching, ducting, pull boxes, concrete bases for any padmount equipment, grounding, and guardrails.
Install Current Transformers and Potential Transformers.

NOTE: The customer owns and maintains all switching cubicle bases, ground grids, and primary ducts (everything on the load side of the point of service).

EDTI's Responsibilities

Complete all work on public property.
Supply and install primary cable to the line side of the main switchgear.
Terminate our primary cable at the customer's switchgear.
Supply Currenty Transformers and Potential Transformers.
Supply and install revenue metering equipment.

NOTE: EDTI owns and maintains all primary cable on the line side of the point of service and revenue metering equipment.

Service Connection Point (Service Entry Point)

Property line.

Point of Service Termination (Electrical Connection Point)

Switchgear.

Aerial

Customer's Responsibilities

Install all poles, anchors, and wire on the load side of the service connection point.

NOTE: The customer owns and maintains all poles, anchors, and wire on the load side of the service connection point.

EDTI's Responsibilities

Install poles, anchors, and wire on the line side of the service connection point.
Supply and install Current Transformers and Potential Transformers.
Supply and install revenue metering equipment.

NOTE: EDTI owns and maintains all poles, anchors, Current Transformers, and Potential Transformers on the line side of the point of service.

Service Connection Point (Service Entry Point)

Second pole past the load side of the primary meter structure.

Point of Service Termination (Electrical Connection Point)

First pole past the load side of the primary meter structure (GI pole).

5.2 Time Frames 5.3 Standard Supply Voltages 5.4 Permits and Inspections 5.5 Service Connection Agreement 5.6 Basic Drawing Requirements 5.7 Switchgear Submission Drawings 5.8 Horizontal Clearance to Other Utilities 5.9 Service Entry Point 5.10 Electrical Room 5.11 Main Switch or Breaker Minimum Interrupting Capacity 5.12 Maximum Horsepower of Motors 5.13 General Service Requirements 5.14 Trenching and Backhoe 5.15 Service Ducts 5.16 Duct Bends 5.17 Ground-Mounted Pull Boxes 5.18 Pull Boxes in Buildings 5.19 Equipment Access 5.20 Site Housekeeping 5.21 Switching Cubicles 5.22 Ground Grids and Guardrails for Padmounted Equipment 5.23 Conductors 5.24 Cable Installation 5.25 Coordination Study 5.26 Switchgear 5.27 Breaker Specifications (Main Service) 5.28 Protection and Control Requirements (Overcurrent Protection) 5.29 Protection with Pilot Wire Relaying 5.30 Aerial Services 5.31 Commissioning 5.32 Service Interruption 5.33 Next Steps

5.2 Time Frames

In areas where off-site servicing exists, the minimum lead time for a primary service connection is six months to one year. Lead time for ordering some primary service equipment can be up to one year after servicing details are finalized, the Customer Acceptance portion of the estimate letter is returned, and prepayment is made.

5.3 Standard Supply Voltages

The service size allowed is governed by many factors. Please contact EDTI Customer Engineering Services.
15 kV primary metered services are not permitted within EPCOR's 25 kV area, and 25 kV primary services are not permitted within EPCOR's 15 kV area. If you're in a 5 kV area, please contact us for information on conversion to 15 kV. Refer to Drawing 29 for the primary voltage in your area, and contact us for confirmation.

5.4 Permits and Inspections

As a customer, you or your contractors are responsible for:

Obtaining all permits, certificates, licences, inspections, reports, and other authorizations necessary for installing and operating the service connection. EDTI is not required to start or continue operation of a service connection unless the customer has complied with the licensing requirements of EDTI and all other authorities.
Submitting an electronic copy of the electrical wiring permit, civil electrical inspection (if required), and final electrical inspection report to EDTI Customer Engineering Services.
Ensuring that an Electrical Safety Codes Officer inspects all internal wiring before it's concealed. All transformer and switching cubicles, ground grids, underground wiring, and ducts must be inspected before the trench is backfilled. Contact the City of Edmonton to arrange for inspections. A service connection will not be energized unless you have received inspection approval.
Completing utility searches on private property and notifying Alberta One-Call before any work is done.

5.5 Service Connection Agreement

EDTI requires the customer to sign the Customer Acceptance portion of the estimate letter as confirmation of intent to proceed with construction. This is required before EDTI finalizes the design and issues work orders.
EDTI may require the customer to sign a Construction Commitment Agreement, Electric Service Agreement, and/or Interconnection Operating and Maintenance Agreement.
The customer may be required to make a capital contribution toward the cost of materials and equipment installed on City of Edmonton property or the customer's property.

5.6 Basic Drawing Requirements

EDTI Customer Engineering Services reserves the right of final approval for the location of facilities before EDTI will grant construction approval.
New connection construction cannot start until EDTI has approved all drawings.
A customer requesting a primary metered service must submit a copy of the following:

Commercial Application Form
Architectural site plan
Engineer-approved electrical site plan authenticated by a duly registered professional member of APEGA or ASET
Mechanical plans showing water, sewer, and gas lines on private property

Drawings must be in electronic format and follow accepted drafting standards as indicated in this guide.
Drawings will become part of EDTI's record system and must be submitted in PDF and AutoCAD or MicroStation format.
The following information must be included on these plans:

All legal property lines
Streets, avenues, and any other public thoroughfare abutting the property
Locations of planned and existing buildings
Size and location of primary conductors on the line (source) side of the meter
Size and location of pull boxes
Direction of door openings for padmount transformers and cubicles
Location and size of the main distribution panel within the building, including voltage, amperage, phase, wire size, temperature rating (i.e., 75 or 90 degree), and type
A detailed drawing of the electrical room layout
Easements and rights-of-way located on customer's property
Location and description of all other utilities crossing or located within 3.0 m of proposed power facilities and conductors
Drawings at a scale that will maintain the readability of multiple conductors, which can be submitted as multiple sheets, if necessary to meet the readability criteria, as long as each sheet is self-contained
Electrical permit number and legal address
Title, block, border, scale, and legend

Please note that all equipment and conductor locations on the drawing are to be dimensioned from the building and property lines and given real-world coordinates. Curb lines may also be included.

EDTI Customer Engineering Services will review and accept drawings and the scope of work.

5.7 Switchgear Submission Drawings

Submitted drawings must include:

A site plan containing the duct routing for the main feeder, including location and angle of bends, corner-to-corner distance between bends, any changes in elevation and detailed manhole drawings (including drainage).
Complete single-line diagrams showing interlock, all instrument and power transformers, fuses, relays, megavolt-amps (MVA) rating of customer switchgear, standby generation, transformer sizes, and types of winding, as well as other appropriate information. The control and protection schematic should show the breaker direct current (DC) control wiring, the transfer scheme between the main feeder, the standby feeders, and the pilot wire contacts, where required.
Plans showing the switchgear layout in the electrical room, duct and cable routing, and details of EDTI Customer Engineering Services' cable termination cell.
Shop drawings of the proposed switchgear. Note: Switchgear must be approved for service entrance.
Switchgear and electrical room layout details, including provisions for pilot wire relaying, where required.
Three sets of main breaker specifications and operating conditions.
Confirmation of the DC power supply for EDTI's pilot wire relay, if applicable.

5.8 Horizontal Clearance to Other Utilities

The following horizontal clearances to other utilities from underground service lines and equipment, including padmount transformers, switching cubicles, guardrails, and ground grids, must be maintained:

Commercial Installations

Poles on private property and primary conductors

2.0 metres to all valves, hydrants, catch basins, manholes, vaults, sanitary and storm sewer lines, septic tanks, fields, and Minnesota mounds. The primary cable cannot cross through septic fields and Minnesota mounds.
1.8 m to all water lines and cc valves.
1.0 m to all gas lines.

Residential Installations

Poles on private property and primary conductors

2.0 metres to all valves, hydrants, catch basins, manholes, vaults, sanitary and storm sewer lines, septic tanks, fields, and Minnesota mounds. The primary cable cannot cross through septic fields and Minnesota mounds.
1.8 m to all water lines and cc valves.
1.0 m to all gas lines.

5.9 Service Entry Point

It is critical that you contact us for your site-specific service entry point (the point where EDTI's infrastructure meets your property line) or service pole before beginning construction. The service entry point can differ based on a number of circumstances.

5.10 Electrical Room

Service equipment must be located in a separate electrical room of adequate size. The electrical room must only contain electrical equipment and no other facilities, such as gas and water equipment.
A detailed drawing of the electrical room layout must be submitted for EDTI approval.
All electrical rooms must have four walls and a ceiling.
See the Metering Section (8.0) for more detail.

EDTI has specific servicing details for the Quarters Downtown Development area. If your development is in the area, which extends from 92 to 97 Street and from 101 to 103A Avenue, contact us for these details.

5.11 Main Switch or Breaker Minimum Interrupting Capacity

The interrupting capacity of main switches and breakers must be sized according to Table 3.
The minimum interrupting capacity applies to all service entrance equipment.

5.12 Maximum Horsepower of Motors

The maximum permitted horsepower of motors permitted is identified in Table 2.
Special permission is required before EDTI will grant construction approval for motors larger than those indicated in Table 2. Please contact EDTI Customer Engineering Services for more information.

5.13 General Service Requirements

EDTI Customer Engineering Services reserves the right of final approval for the location of facilities before EDTI will grant construction approval.
The customer is responsible for the installation and maintenance of all civil work on private property, including maintaining the level of equipment. Civil work typically includes trenching, ducting, transformer or cubicle pads, ground grids, guardrails, pull boxes, and intermediate service poles. Please see above for more information.
The customer is responsible for installing meter bases on private property.
EDTI owns and installs all equipment on public property.
EDTI retains ownership of transformers, switching cubicles, and primary cables on the line side (source side) of the meter.
Only EDTI or its authorized agents can operate or maintain any electrical facilities owned by EDTI.
The customer will comply with the standards set out by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 519-1992 (Tables 10.3, 10.4, 10.5) when loads producing harmonic distortion are involved. The customer will also comply with the short- and long-term flicker limits as specified in Tables 2 and 6 of CAN/CSA-C61000-3-7 Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) – Part 3 – 7.
The customer must ensure that loading is balanced across all three phases of the service and that the load is balanced across all main feeders, if there is more than one feeder.
The customer must provide space and easements for utility equipment to maintain flexibility of the power system, if required by EDTI. See the Easement Agreement Section (9.5) for more information.
Connections and disconnections must be done by EDTI or its authorized agents.
EDTI Customer Engineering Services will not permit the installation of service lines crossing public property between private properties.

5.14 Trenching and Backhoe

All proposed cable routing and duct work is subject to written approval by EDTI Customer Engineering Services before construction.
As the customer, you are not permitted to do any excavation work on City of Edmonton property, but you must provide all trenching on your property.
Underground service lines must be kept a minimum of 1.0 m from the edge of the property line.
The customer's contractor cannot trench within 1.0 m of any EDTI wood pole, anchor, transformer, or switching cubicle ground grid (2.0 m from the edge of the concrete base), power pedestal, or energized cable. The facilities must be located first using hydro excavating or hand digging before determining where the mechanical excavation limits end.
Ensure that the top of duct is a minimum of 1,000 mm to a maximum of 1,300 mm below finished grade and that the service cable is set on undisturbed soil that is free from rocks, debris, and sudden grade changes. If there are large lumps of clay and soil that have hardened due to drying or freezing, and when a backhoe has been used for electrical service installation, a 150 mm layer of sand must be placed below the cable. For all service installations, a 300 mm layer of sand must be placed above the cable.
The customer must backfill all trenches with material that is free of stones and items with sharp edges.
Backfill must be placed in uniform lifts not exceeding 300 mm and compacted to the City of Edmonton Design and Construction Standards Volume 2 – Roadways.
If a trench has been backhoed, cables must be shaded with 300 mm of sand. Backhoed material cannot be placed over cable.
Backfill material over cable can be the material trenched using a mechanical trencher, if the inspector deems the material suitable. Soil with high thermal resistivity containing large amounts of organics, peat, black loam, sod, hardened clay, stones, straw, snow, or frozen material will not be acceptable. All backfill material is subject to the inspector's approval. Sand or clean backfill material must be substituted for unsuitable backfill.
A marker tape must be installed 0.5 m above all underground electrical conductors.
The trench must take the most direct route to the meter base location.
Some work may be required over energized primary or secondary cables. This may involve crossing or over trenching the cables. Mechanical excavation is allowed up to 1.0 m from the energized facilities. The facilities must first be located using hydro excavating or hand digging before determining where the mechanical excavation limits end.
EDTI Customer Engineering Services will allow a contractor to over trench up to 5.0 m of energized facilities by hand or hydro excavating. Follow Alberta One-Call procedures and contact us before starting work.
Exposed energized cables cannot be left unattended. If the excavation is narrow or small, the primary cable must be covered with soil bags or secured with some other suitable temporary method. Contact us for more details.
Under no circumstances must energized primary cables be moved or handled in any way.

5.15 Service Ducts

EDTI Customer Engineering Services reserves the right of final approval for the location of facilities before EDTI will grant construction approval.
All permanent commercial services must be in duct.
Duct must be installed where primary cable is deemed inaccessible by EDTI. All ducts must be equipped with bell collars to avoid damaging the cable.
The installation of primary service cable under buildings is not permitted.
The customer will provide all conduits (rigid PVC, DB2, Carlon Borguard, Terracon, or other EDTI-approved ducts only), pull boxes, and manholes required on the customer's property for installing the electrical services.
The customer must supply and install a spare conduit between the service entrance point and switchgear to accommodate the replacement of the conductor in the event of a cable fault.
EDTI highly recommends that, when possible, you take all necessary steps to avoid installing high-voltage cables under buildings.
Conduit size requirements for primary (high-voltage) cables depend on cable size and voltage. Contact EDTI Customer Engineering Services for the primary voltage in your area.
See Drawing 29 for primary voltage and Table 4 for primary cable, duct, and pull box standards.
Service conduits installed by contractors working on behalf of other utilities or the City of Edmonton must follow EDTI Customer Engineering Services' construction standards. Contractors must not work within 1.0 m of any electrical equipment.
Where EDTI's conduits have been stubbed to the property line, the customer must first confirm that the conduit exposed is the correct one, and then connect their supply conduit to EDTI's conduit. Contact us to arrange for conduit verification.
If pulling lengths exceed the maximum pulling tension of the cable, a pull box must be installed. See the Ground-Mounted Pull Boxes Section (5.17) for more information.

5.16 Duct Bends

All bends exiting cubicles must be made of rigid, thick-walled PVC (schedule 40) with a minimum wall thickness of 6.0 mm for 4 in., 6.6 mm for 5 in., and 7.1 mm for 6 in. DB2 bends are not acceptable.
An additional 10 ft. horizontal section of rigid, thick-walled PVC must be attached to the bend.
See Drawing 29 for primary voltage and Table 4 for primary cable, duct, and pull box standards.
All bends that EDTI must supply conductors for must be equipped with bell collars to avoid damaging the cable.
All spare bends are to be covered (taped or covered by some other suitable method) to prevent material falling into them.
Primary ducts exiting switching cubicles must be identified (i.e., which piece of equipment the pipe services).
Precast concrete pad must be removed before inserting additional ducts into existing pads.

5.17 Ground-Mounted Pull Boxes

EDTI Customer Engineering Services reserves the right of final approval of the pull box size and location before construction begins.
If pulling lengths exceed the maximum pulling tension of the cable, a pull box must be installed. See Drawing 1.
The accumulative total of all bends between pulling points cannot exceed four 90-degree bends, as per Canadian Electrical Code Rule 12-940.
Contact us to perform a cable pulling calculation for your specific site.
The size of ground-mounted pull box you require depends on the type of cable being installed.
See Drawing 29 for primary voltage and Table 4 for primary cable, duct, and pull box standards.
Conduits must enter and leave the pull box at the same level.
Communication cables cannot share the same pull box with primary cables.
Customer-owned facilities cannot share the same pull box with EDTI facilities.
EDTI requires truck access to on-property transformers, switching cubicles, poles, and pull boxes where EDTI will own the cable. See the Equipment Access Section (5.19) for more information.
Rigid, thick-walled PVC (schedule 40) with minimum wall thickness of 6.0 mm for 4 in., 6.6 mm for 5 in., and 7.1 mm for 6 in. must be installed for the first 10 ft. when entering or exiting any pull boxes, manholes, or vaults. DB2 bends are not acceptable.

5.18 Pull Boxes in Buildings

EDTI Customer Engineering Services reserves the right of final approval of the pull box size and location before construction begins.
If pulling lengths exceed the maximum pulling tension of the cable, a pull box must be installed.
Contact us to perform a cable pulling calculation for your specific site.
The accumulative total of all bends between pulling points cannot exceed four 90-degree bends, as per Canadian Electrical Code Rule 12-940.
Pull boxes in buildings must be sized according to EDTI requirements. Contact us to discuss your specific installation.
See Table 4 for information on primary cable dressing and pulling radius.
Communication cables cannot share the same pull box with primary cables.
Customer-owned facilities cannot share the same pull box with EDTI facilities.

5.19 Equipment Access

EDTI Customer Engineering Services reserves the right of final approval for the location of facilities before EDTI will grant construction approval.
EDTI requires truck access to on-property transformers, switching cubicles, poles, and pull boxes where EDTI Customer Engineering Services will be installing the cable.
Access to equipment must be provided from private property. Without special permission from EDTI, public roadways or laneways are not acceptable for access to equipment on private property.
Equipment must be placed beside a 4.6 m wide access roadway, centred in an unimpeded 6.5 m area. The area must be capable of supporting an 18,000 kg truck, plus a transformer weighing up to 6,900 kg (transformers must be unloaded from the side of the vehicle). Road allowance must account for outriggers on the truck to extend to a width of 7.0 m.
Switching cubicles must be placed in a location that does not exceed maximum setbacks from driving surfaces, as outlined in Table 5B.
Any overhang or other obstruction over the access roadway, such as a sign, must have a minimum of 5.0 m of vertical clearance.
If access is through a locked enclosure, the customer shall provide double lock capability on the gate to accommodate an EDTI lock.
Equipment must be placed in a location where it will not create a line-of-sight concern for traffic or pedestrians.

5.20 Site Housekeeping

Areas that our crews must access and work in must be clear of construction materials, equipment, debris, trash, and other materials that may pose a safety risk to personnel or damage equipment.
The site must be level and consist of hard-packed material or asphalt.
If a site has substandard housekeeping or is deemed unsafe by EDTI personnel, our personnel will leave the site until the issues are rectified.

5.21 Switching Cubicles

EDTI Customer Engineering Services reserves the right of final approval for the location of facilities before EDTI will grant construction approval.
EDTI requires truck access to on-property transformers, switching cubicles, poles, and pull boxes where EDTI will be installing the cable. See the Equipment Access Section (5.19) for more information.
Switching cubicles must be placed in a location that does not exceed maximum setbacks from driving surfaces, as outlined in Table 5B.
Switching cubicles must be connected to EDTI's main line in such a manner as to provide a loop feed. No radial-fed cubicle installations will be allowed on private property.
EDTI will supply, install, and maintain required switching cubicles on EDTI's side of the point of service (main breaker). EDTI will also perform all required primary conductor terminations at the switching cubicle and main switchgear.
When a switching cubicle is required on the customer's property, the customer provides the precast concrete bases with an appropriate ground grid and guardrails for transformers and switching cubicles to meet EDTI's specifications.
When the customer is required to install a cubicle base, EDTI will provide a detailed drawing showing how the base must be constructed. Please see Drawings 4, 5, 6 and 7.
The fault indicator lights adjacent to the "B" compartment of switching cubicles must face the main road. Exceptions to this rule must be approved by EDTI Customer Engineering Services before EDTI will grant will grant construction approval.
Excavation for bases should be stepped so the native backfill is not disturbed under the ground gird area. This will help prevent rods from bending and deformation of the ground grid during the backfilling/compaction process (i.e., the area where the ground grid and rods are installed should not be dug to the depth required for the base excavation).
The bottom of the excavation where the base will be installed requires 300 mm of compacted ¾ in. road crush (20 mm crushed gravel).
Proper tamping is crucial to ensuring transformer and cubicle bases are installed correctly. Ensure that ¾ in. road crush is tamped in 1 ft. lifts. See Drawings 4, 5, 6 and 7.
EDTI Customer Engineering Services reserves the right to request compaction tests from the customer.
2 × 10 pressure-treated lumber is required under all switching cubicle and 1-phase transformer bases. See Drawings 4, 5 and 8.
If conditions do not support a precast base, piles must be poured. Engineered drawings stamped by a civil engineer must be supplied to EDTI Customer Engineering Services before EDTI will grant approval.
Customer shall submit compaction test reports for all pad installations on site. If adequate compaction cannot be achieved piles are required.
All compaction testing shall meet a minimum of 98% of Standard Proctor Density (SPD).
Within 3.0 m of padmounted equipment, landscaping must slope away from the base at a 3% – 10% grade to allow for proper drainage and safe operational switching.
3.0 m of working space without obstructions that could interfere with high-voltage switching—such as large rocks, decorative boulders, trees, and fences—must be allowed for on the door sides of transformers and switching cubicles. Examples of appropriate landscaping are sod, wood chips (4" or smaller) or decorative crushed rock. Any decorative crushed rock shall be 20mm (3/4") or smaller with a minimum of three fractured faces. Smooth, rounded rocks are not permitted. Please note that switching cubicles have two sets of doors.
Concrete and ashphalt are not permitted within the guardrail area to allow for access to grounding for maintenance and repair.
Curbs within 3.0 m of the door sides of transformers and switching cubicles must be approved by EDTI Customer Engineering Services before construction begins.
Equipment must not be subject to flooding under runoff conditions.
The height of the top of the concrete base must be between 250 and 300 mm above finished grade.
When a new switching cubicle base is installed on private property, the customer must install a pull string between the cubicle and the customer's switchgear.
Customers are responsible for maintaining all transformers and switching cubicle bases installed on their property, including maintaining the level of equipment.
When padmounted equipment is to be located on top of a parkade, detailed drawings under the seal of a registered professional engineer practising structural engineering need to be submitted for EDTI approval. EDTI highly recommends taking all necessary steps to avoid this form of construction.

5.22 Ground Grids and Guardrails for Padmounted Equipment

Transformers and switching cubicles must be protected from mechanical damage in accordance with Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, Rule 26-240(4). Customers are required to provide guardrails for all installations of transformers and switching cubicles on private property.
Guardrails must have removable sections in front of the doors of equipment, as per Drawing 11. Please note that switching cubicles have two sets of doors.
Customers are also responsible for installing ground grids around all padmounted equipment. They must consist of four copper-clad ground rods interconnected by #4/0 bare copper grounding conductor and an additional 2 X #4/0 bare copper grounding conductor tails, connected to the ground bus of the equipment.
A sufficient length of #4/0 bare copper grounding conductor must be installed to allow 3.0 m (no more or less) to be left above the top of the precast transformer base. The conductor must be left in an organized manner to allow for easy removal and shaping.
Ground rod resistance must measure 6 ohms or less.
The minimum distance to the property line for the ground grids of padmount transformers and switching cubicles is 1.0 m.
If non-EDTI equipment is placed within 3.0 m of the edge of EDTI equipment, the ground grid of the EDTI equipment must be bonded using two tails to the ground of the non-EDTI equipment. The customer must show details on the power plan of how the bonding is to be achieved. The detail must also show the clearance between the edge of the EDTI equipment and the non-EDTI equipment. The non-EDTI equipment cannot be installed within 1.0 m of the EDTI ground grid. It also can't be located within the guardrails.
Ground grids for padmount equipment located on the top of a parkade must be bonded to the rebar of the building with two 4/0 conductors terminating to a remote ground grid. These conductors must be physically separated. The equipment base must be encircled by a #4/0 bare copper conductor embedded in the concrete 900 mm outside of the base. The gradient control conductor must be bonded to the rebar in the four corners, with two tails from alternate corners entering the base and extending 3.0 m above the top of the base. Detailed drawings under the seal of a registered professional engineer practising electrical engineering need to be submitted to EDTI Customer Engineering Services for approval.
Fine-fill clay is required as backfill around the ground grid.

5.23 Conductors

See Drawing 29 for primary voltage and Table 4 for primary cable, duct, and pull box standards.

5.24 Cable Installation

EDTI will supply and install all primary conductors in the customer-prepared conduit after the primary ductwork has passed an electrical inspection. Multi-family sites are an exception to this rule.
EDTI will terminate primary conductors to EDTI's side of the customer's main breaker.
If cable pulling lengths exceed the maximum pulling tension of the cable, a pull box must be installed. See Table 4 as well as the Ground-Mounted Pull Boxes section (5.17) and Pull Boxes in Buildings section (5.18) for more information.
Telephone and television cables can be installed in the same trench as power conductors. When this is considered, design drawings must be forwarded to the appropriate organizations for their approval.
Cable cannot be installed on building footings or weeping tile.
Primary cable ends must be wrapped with elastomeric tape (e.g., Greenline) to prevent the migration of moisture in the cable before testing. Elastomeric tape must be wrapped in a spiral shape overlapping half of each previous wrap at a time and then covered with black low-voltage vinyl tape. A minimum of two layers of half-lapped tape is to be applied. Immediately after testing, primary cable ends must have heat shrink caps installed.
If a switching cubicle base is installed, the customer must install a pull string between the cubicle and primary switchgear.
EDTI will make the final connection in the cubicle, transformer, or pedestal.
The maximum length of service conductors permitted in a building is 3.0 m, unless they are mechanically protected in rigid metal conduit, in which case the maximum length is 7.5 m.

5.25 Coordination Study

A coordination study, certified by a registered professional engineer, is to be submitted to EDTI Customer Engineering Services for approval. The study must include the following information:

Two sets of drawings, one for phase current and the other for residual current, plotted on "log-log" graph paper
EDTI's relay time / current characteristics that are provided by the utility to the customer
Relay time / current characteristics at the customer's incoming feeder and at least one level downstream from the incoming feeder
Types of relays with proposed settings, size, and type of fuses (ANSI type)
Size and characteristics of any other protective devices
Single-line sketch indicating the protective elements covered by the study

5.26 Switchgear

Switchgear must be approved for service entrance.
All enclosures housing live parts on the line side of the main breaker must bear a warning sign stating "access limited to EPCOR Distribution only" as per 36.006 of the Canadian Electrical Code.
Precautionary measures are to be taken to prevent water entering the top-connected switchgear.
Circuit breakers or power fuses must be installed as per Primary Services in Table 3.
If the customer's connected load will be above 3 MVA, breakers must be provided instead of loadbreak switches.
The customer must provide and maintain overcurrent protection in accordance with Section 14 and Rule 36-204 of the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I.
Protection devices must be verified and acceptable to EDTI Customer Engineering Services to ensure compatibility with our distribution system's overcurrent protection.
The customer must provide space for and install EDTI-supplied current and potential transformers in the customer's switchgear on the load side of the main breaker.
Space must also be provided within the customer's switchgear for terminating the primary feeders.
The customer must provide for pilot wire relaying and associated instrumentation transformers, if deemed necessary by EDTI Customer Engineering Services.
A permanent, legible, single-line diagram of the switchgear and operating instructions will be provided by the customer. It must be under a frame of glass in a conspicuous location within sight of the switchgear. The markings on the switchgear must cross-reference the diagram.
The customer is responsible for providing regular maintenance on all facilities on their side of the point of service and keeping a record of maintenance. Proof of maintenance must be provided upon our request.
Automated or manual transfer to the standby feeder will be permitted on a "break before make" scenario. Switching between feeders requires permission from EDTI's Control Centre.
EDTI Customer Engineering Services has the right to examine and confirm all proposed settings of the customer's protection equipment to ensure compatibility with our protection devices.
EDTI reserves the right to determine whether pilot wire relaying is required on the service. EDTI also has the right to witness all commissioning of the new service.

5.27 Breaker Specifications (Main Service)

Breakers must have a maximum total clearing time of five cycles.
Protection and alternating current (AC) tripping-current transformers must have adequate ratings to operate the relays, and be designed to function properly under maximum fault conditions.
A direct current (DC) supply, from storage batteries, must be provided for tripping the 13.8 kV and 25 kV circuit breakers on the main incoming feeders from EDTI's distribution system. Battery control power must comply with Rule 14-308 of the Canadian Electrical Code Part I.

5.28 Protection and Control Requirements (Overcurrent Protection)

The customer will provide overcurrent protection on electrical systems on the customer's side of the point of service, in accordance with the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I.
A protection Coordinating Time Interval (CTI) of 0.3 seconds for relays and 0.2 seconds for fuses is required.
Phase and residual overcurrent relays with instantaneous and inverse time characteristics are required on the main breaker.
To coordinate with EDTI's system relays, the relay curves cannot exceed:

On the 25 kV system, the equivalent of an EEI-NEMA #100 K fuse
On the 15 kV system, the equivalent of an EEI-NEMA #140 K fuse

If the requirements noted above cannot be achieved, contact us to discuss possible alternatives.

5.29 Protection with Pilot Wire Relaying

In general, this is a requirement for dedicated feeders. When EDTI requires pilot wire relaying, the customer will do the following:

Supply and install a 53 mm (2 in.) conduit from the service entry to the main breaker.
Supply and install three 600/5 A, 15 kV or 25 kV current transformers (relaying accuracy class 2.5L400) per feeder. These are installed on the load side of the main breaker and the revenue metering transformers, but before the isolating switch.
Provide test blocks for pilot wire relay current transformers and trip output blocking as specified:

For the pilot wire relay, ABB FT-1 style No. 188A 229 G01
For the trip output blocking, ABB FT-1 style No. 129A 539 G01 with red handles

Include provisions for our relays to trip and electrically block closing of their main breakers
Supply a nominal 129 V, direct current, 1 A (129 V, DC, 1A), continuous output, ungrounded power supply. Battery control power must comply with Rule 14-308 of the Canadian Electrical Code Part I.
Ensure a 650 mm wide by 650 mm high by 300 mm deep space remains in front of the instrument compartment of the main breaker cell. This is for EDTI to cut a hole and mount the relays.
Provide space near the entry point of the 53 mm (2 in.) pilot wire conduit into the electrical room. The space is required for installing cabinets and boxes containing pilot wire relaying equipment.

5.30 Aerial Services

EDTI Customer Engineering Services will only allow aerial industrial service connections in special circumstances. To verify whether your service connection applies, contact us.
Installation must comply with Part 1 of the Canadian Electrical Code and the Alberta Electrical Utility Code.
Please see the Aerial Service Section (3.0) for more information related to overhead services and see above for an overview of responsibilities.

5.31 Commissioning

Prior to commissioning of the electrical service, the customer must submit the following to EDTI Customer Engineering Services, in writing and under the seal of a registered professional engineer:

As-built drawings
Confirmation of the operational readiness of the main service equipment
Test reports on the customer's protection equipment, verification of transfer characteristics of the main breakers, and confirmation that a key-interlock system is safe and functional
Field calibration tests on the overcurrent relays with verification of the response time for 1.5, 6, and 20 times the tap setting
Field saturation checks on the current transformers (CTs) and measurement of the direct current (DC) resistance burden on each current transformer
Confirmation of the DC power supply for EDTI's pilot wire relay
Confirmation that trip checks will be performed from protection schemes to circuit breakers prior to energization
Confirmation that load and vector checks will be performed at the relay terminals upon energization of the electrical service

EDTI Customer Engineering Services reserves the right to witness all checking and testing, and meet with the customer's operator to confirm the rules for operating the main incoming feeder.

5.32 Service Interruption

While EDTI takes all reasonable efforts to guard against interruptions, we do not guarantee uninterrupted service.
Without liability of any kind to EDTI, EDTI Customer Engineering Services has the right to disconnect or otherwise curtail, interrupt, or reduce Distribution Tariff Service to customers whenever EDTI reasonably determines, or is told by the Alberta Electric System Operator, that such a disconnection, curtailment, interruption, or reduction is necessary:

To facilitate construction, installation, maintenance, repair, replacement, or inspection of any of EDTI's facilities
To maintain the safety and reliability of EDTI's distribution system
For any other reason, including dangerous or hazardous circumstances such as emergencies, forced outages, potential overloading of EDTI's distribution system, or force majeure

5.33 Next Steps

Your next steps are to ensure the metering facilities at your Site are built correctly and to contact an energy retailer of your choosing to apply for power service.

Please see the Metering Section (8.0) to determine the type of metering required for your installation.

You are free to choose any retailer. Regulated wires services do not depend on the retailer you choose. For a listing of licensed Alberta retailers, visit ucahelps.alberta.ca or call 310-4822 (toll free in Alberta).

Primary Metered Service

Have questions about the
Customer Connection Guide?

Updated May 2017

Contact Us

Service Types

Other Information

5.1 General introduction

Table 1

Underground

Customer's Responsibilities

EDTI's Responsibilities

Service Connection Point (Service Entry Point)

Point of Service Termination (Electrical Connection Point)

Aerial

Customer's Responsibilities

EDTI's Responsibilities

Service Connection Point (Service Entry Point)

Point of Service Termination (Electrical Connection Point)

Commercial Installations

Residential Installations

Section links

Drawing 1

Drawing 4

Drawing 5

Drawing 6

Drawing 7

Drawing 8

Drawing 11

Drawing 25

Drawing 26

Drawing 27

Drawing 28

Drawing 29

Table 1

Table 1D

Table 1E

Table 2

Table 3

Table 4

Table 5b

Primary Metered Service

​Have questions about theCustomer Connection Guide?

Updated May 2017

Contact Us

Service Types

Other Information

5.1 General introduction

Table 1

Underground

​​Customer's Responsibilities

​EDTI's Responsibilities

Service Connection Point (Service Entry Point)

​Point of Service Termination (Electrical Connection Point)

Aerial

​​Customer's Responsibilities

​EDTI's Responsibilities

Service Connection Point (Service Entry Point)

​Point of Service Termination (Electrical Connection Point)

Commercial Installations

Residential Installations

​Section links

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Have questions about the
Customer Connection Guide?

Customer's Responsibilities

EDTI's Responsibilities

Point of Service Termination (Electrical Connection Point)

Customer's Responsibilities

EDTI's Responsibilities

Point of Service Termination (Electrical Connection Point)

Section links