Commercial · Licensed & insured
Commercial 3-Phase Panel & Electrical Service Upgrades in Kingston
Licensed and insured commercial electricians sizing, permitting and installing three-phase services, distribution panels and equipment feeds for Kingston businesses — utility coordination handled, cut-overs planned around your operating hours.
- Single to three-phase conversions and service capacity increases
- Distribution panels, sub-panels, disconnects and feeders
- Motor circuits, VFDs and dedicated equipment feeds
- Restaurant and commercial kitchen power
- Utility coordination, permits and inspection management
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Request a service or quote
No obligationBook a service visit or get a project quote — we reply within two business hours, seven days a week.
When your electrical service no longer matches your business
Most commercial electrical services in Kingston were sized for the building's original use, not its current one. A retail unit converted to a restaurant, a warehouse that added a production line, a clinic that installed imaging equipment, or an office that added rooftop cooling and EV charging will all outgrow the incoming service long before the building itself needs anything. The symptoms are familiar: breakers that trip under combined load, voltage sag when a large motor starts, panels with no remaining spaces, sub-panels fed from sub-panels, and equipment suppliers telling you the machine you want cannot be connected.
A service and distribution upgrade solves the capacity problem, but the value is in how it is planned. Increasing the main service without rethinking distribution simply moves the bottleneck downstream. We start with a measured load study rather than a nameplate sum: recorded demand over a representative period, actual diversity between loads, motor starting characteristics, harmonic content from drives and electronics, and your stated growth plans for the next five to ten years. That study tells us whether you need a full service change, a three-phase conversion, additional distribution from existing capacity, or simply better load balancing across phases.
Three-phase power specifically matters for businesses running motors, compressors, HVAC plant, commercial kitchen equipment, elevators, machine tools or EV charging at any scale. Three-phase equipment is smaller, cheaper, more efficient and more widely available than single-phase equivalents at the same horsepower, and it draws balanced current that reduces conductor sizing and voltage drop. Where three-phase service is not available at the property line, we work with Utilities Kingston or Hydro One on what it would take to bring it in, and price the realistic alternatives alongside it.
Downtime is the risk clients care most about, and it is manageable. Every service change has a defined outage window, and that window can be scheduled overnight, over a weekend, or during a planned shutdown. Where an outage is genuinely unacceptable, we plan temporary feeds or phased cut-overs so critical systems — refrigeration, servers, life safety, security — stay energized while the new gear is brought online.
Comprehensive scope of work
Service and distribution work is quoted in detail because the cost sits in gear procurement, utility coordination and outage planning as much as in labour. A full scope typically includes:
- Recorded load study using metering over a representative operating period, not nameplate estimates
- Demand and diversity calculations to Ontario Electrical Safety Code requirements, with growth allowance
- Single-phase to three-phase conversion assessment, including utility availability and cost recovery
- Coordination with Utilities Kingston or Hydro One on service capacity, metering and connection scheduling
- New service entrance: mast, weatherhead, underground duct bank, service conductors and CT cabinet as required
- Main switchboard, main disconnect and metering equipment supply and installation
- Distribution panel, sub-panel and load centre installation with correctly rated interrupting capacity
- Feeder design and installation in EMT, rigid conduit, teck cable or cable tray as the environment requires
- Busway and busduct runs for high-density distribution in production and warehouse space
- Dedicated equipment circuits for machine tools, compressors, ovens, refrigeration and HVAC plant
- Motor circuits, starters, contactors, disconnects and variable frequency drive installation and wiring
- Commercial kitchen power: hood interlocks, appliance circuits, shunt trip and make-up air coordination
- Transformer supply and installation for step-down or step-up requirements, with correct grounding
- Grounding electrode system, bonding of building steel, water piping and equipment grounding conductors
- Surge protective device installation at the service entrance and at sensitive sub-distribution
- Phase balancing across the new distribution to reduce neutral current and voltage imbalance
- Temporary power and phased cut-over planning so critical systems remain energized
- Torque verification, insulation resistance testing and thermal imaging of new terminations under load
- Arc flash labelling and equipment identification to current standards
- Complete panel schedules, single-line diagram and as-built documentation for your maintenance file
Commercial sectors we serve
Retail stores and plazas
Tenant fit-outs, unit demising and landlord service upgrades where each unit needs its own metered supply. We coordinate with landlords and property managers on shared service capacity and ensure new tenant loads do not compromise existing occupants.
Offices and professional suites
Server room feeds, UPS tie-ins, rooftop HVAC power and floor-by-floor distribution for growing tenants. Office upgrades are typically about clean, well-protected distribution rather than raw capacity, and about doing the work without disturbing weekday operations.
Multi-family residential buildings
House panels, suite metering, elevator and life-safety feeds, parkade ventilation and the added capacity that EV charging now demands. We work with condo boards and property managers on capacity studies before an owner installs equipment the building cannot support.
Restaurants and commercial kitchens
Kitchen build-outs concentrate enormous load into a small footprint. We size feeds for combi ovens, fryers, dishwashers, walk-in refrigeration and make-up air, wire hood interlocks and shunt trips correctly, and get the inspection passed on schedule for opening.
Industrial and manufacturing facilities
Production line expansions, machine tool installations, compressor rooms and welding bays. We handle motor circuits, VFDs, busway distribution and the harmonic and starting-current considerations that plant equipment introduces into an existing service.
Institutional and public properties
Schools, clinics, community facilities and municipal buildings, where upgrades usually run alongside a tender or capital project. We provide the submittals, coordination drawings and closeout documentation those projects require.
ESA compliance, permits and Ontario Electrical Safety Code
Every service change, panel replacement and new feeder is notifiable to the Electrical Safety Authority. We file under our licensed contractor number, coordinate the ESA inspection with the utility disconnect and reconnect so the outage window is used efficiently, and hand you the certificate of acceptance for your insurer, landlord or lender.
Code compliance on commercial distribution goes well beyond conductor ampacity. We verify available fault current and specify equipment with adequate interrupting rating, maintain the required working clearances in front of and around electrical equipment, provide correct overcurrent coordination between main and branch devices, install a compliant grounding electrode system, ensure conductors are protected against physical damage in their environment, and label equipment so the next electrician into the room can work safely.
- ESA notification, inspection scheduling and certificate of acceptance handled end to end
- Utility coordination for disconnect, meter change, reconnect and capacity confirmation
- Load and demand calculations documented to Code and retained with your drawings
- Working clearances, equipment ratings and overcurrent coordination verified before energizing
- Grounding, bonding and surge protection installed to current requirements
- Arc flash labels, single-line diagram and updated panel schedules delivered at closeout
Why Kingston businesses partner with us
Licensed Master Electricians
ESA licensed electrical contractor with a Master Electrician on staff, full liability insurance and WSIB clearance supplied to your property manager or general contractor on request.
24/7 emergency response
If a main breaker trips, a feeder fails or a phase is lost, we answer outside business hours and dispatch with diagnostic equipment and common parts to restore service or make the situation safe on the first visit.
Transparent, itemized invoicing
Gear, labour, utility fees and permit costs are broken out in writing before the job starts. Change orders are approved in writing, so nothing appears on the invoice you did not agree to.
Defined, planned outage windows
We tell you the exact outage duration before the work is booked, plan temporary feeds for critical systems, and complete the cut-over overnight or on a weekend so trading hours are protected.
Who does the work
Licensed, insured, and accountable for every circuit
Everything on this 3-phase panel & service upgrades page comes out of work we do in Kingston homes and buildings every week, not from a stock article. If something here does not match what you are seeing at your place, call (613) 686-1582 and we will talk it through before anyone quotes you anything.
- Reviewed by our master electrician
- Last checked for accuracy against current Ontario Electrical Safety Code practice in September 2026.
- Written from real job sites
- Scope, timelines and the honest caveats come from panels we have actually swapped and circuits we have actually traced in this city.
ESA / ECRA licensed contractor
Every notifiable job is filed with the Electrical Safety Authority, inspected, and closed out with a certificate of acceptance in your name.
Master electrician on staff
A 309A master electrician reviews the design on service upgrades, rewires and anything that touches life safety before a truck rolls.
Fully insured, WSIB covered
Liability coverage and workplace insurance are in place on every job. Ask and we will send the certificates before we start.
We only work in this region
Kingston, Frontenac County and the lakeshore. We know the housing stock street by street, from Sydenham plaster to Westbrook new builds.
Questions
3-Phase Panel & Service Upgrades: frequently asked questions
How much does a commercial service upgrade cost in Kingston?
The main variables are the new service size, whether the supply is overhead or underground, distance from the utility connection, the switchgear and distribution equipment specified, and any utility charges for capacity. Smaller panel and feeder work sits in the low five figures, while a full three-phase service change with new switchgear is a significant capital project. We provide an itemized quote separating gear, labour, permits and utility costs.
How long will our power be off?
For most panel and distribution changes, the outage is four to eight hours and is scheduled overnight or on a weekend. Full service changes may need a longer window, which we define in writing before booking. Where an outage is not acceptable, we plan temporary feeds or a phased cut-over to keep critical systems energized.
How much lead time should we plan for?
Utility coordination and switchgear procurement drive the schedule far more than installation labour. Plan for several weeks on a service change, and longer if custom switchgear or a utility transformer is required. We start those processes as soon as the quote is accepted and keep you updated on delivery dates.
Can we get three-phase power at our location?
It depends on what is already at the property line. Many Kingston commercial and industrial corridors have three-phase distribution available; some older mixed-use streets do not. We confirm availability with the utility before quoting, and if bringing it in is uneconomical we price the realistic single-phase alternatives alongside it.
Do we need a permit and an inspection?
Yes. Service changes, panel replacements and new feeders are all notifiable to the Electrical Safety Authority. We file the notification, attend the inspection, resolve any items raised, and provide you the certificate of acceptance for your records and your insurer.
Can the project be phased to spread the cost?
Often, yes. A common approach is to install the new service and main distribution first, then migrate branch circuits and add sub-distribution as budget allows or as departments expand. We design the first phase so the later phases plug into it without rework.
Get started
Get a service upgrade assessment for your Kingston facility
Send us your equipment list and current panel details, or call to book a site visit. You will get a load study, a written itemized quote and a defined outage plan before any work is scheduled.
Serving Kingston and area with a licensed Kingston electrician on every job.
Request a service or quote
No obligationBook a service visit or get a project quote — we reply within two business hours, seven days a week.
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