Electrical Panel and 200 Amp Service Upgrades in Toronto

The main breaker at the top of your panel is usually labelled with the service size — 100 or 200. Older fuse panels and 60-amp services may not be labelled clearly. If you are unsure, send us a photo of your panel and main breaker and we can usually confirm the size quickly.

Not by itself. A panel replacement swaps the old panel for a modern breaker panel at the same capacity. Increasing capacity — for example from 100 amps to 200 amps — is a service upgrade, which can also involve new service conductors, meter equipment and utility coordination.

Sometimes. It depends on the home's existing loads. A load calculation determines the spare capacity, and in many cases a load-management device lets a Level 2 charger work safely on a 100-amp service without a full upgrade.

Not always. Many homes can support a heat pump on 100-amp service depending on the other loads. A load calculation gives the real answer. If you are adding a heat pump plus an EV charger or other major loads, 200 amps is often the practical choice.

Many standard upgrades are planned so the main work is completed in one working day. Total project timing depends on the property, Toronto Hydro scheduling and the ESA inspection process.

Power is typically off for most of the working day while the service equipment and panel are replaced. We plan the work so the service is restored as quickly as the utility and inspection process allows.

For a full service upgrade, yes — the utility disconnects the service so the meter equipment and service conductors can be replaced safely, and reconnects it afterward. Portman Electric coordinates this scheduling.

Panel replacements and service upgrades are the type of electrical work that requires an ESA notification and inspection. When an ESA notification or utility coordination is required, Portman Electric handles the applicable electrical contracting process based on the project scope.

Often, yes. Relocations add scope — new conductor routing, possible utility requirements and restoration work — so they are assessed and priced as part of the written estimate.

A fuse-box replacement swaps an old fuse panel for a modern breaker panel, usually at the same capacity. A service upgrade increases the amount of power available to the home and can involve the meter, service conductors and utility coordination in addition to the panel.

Yes. Problem-brand panels can be replaced with a modern breaker panel at the existing service size. Whether it is worth upgrading capacity at the same time depends on your plans — we explain both options in the estimate.

Yes. When the project requires it, we handle the ESA notification, coordinate the inspection and arrange the Toronto Hydro disconnection and reconnection as part of the job.

Most panel replacements and service upgrades do not require opening finished walls. Relocations or rerouted conductors can require some access openings — if that applies to your project, it is identified in the estimate first.

In many cases, yes. Load-management devices monitor the service and pause large loads such as EV charging when the home is near capacity. This can allow an EV charger on an existing 100-amp service. It is a good fit for some homes and not others — the load calculation tells us which.

Photos of your electrical panel (with the door open), the meter, and the outside service entrance, plus a short description of what you are planning — EV charger, heat pump, renovation or a panel concern. With those photos we can usually provide an accurate assessment remotely.