Article Reprint 621-R70

Reprinted with permission from ELECTRICAL BUSINESS, September 2018
NOT ALL SERVICE

ENTRANCE EQUIPMENT
IS CREATED EQUAL
How to select the perfect option for your needs
By Teddy Chettiar
W
ith multiple options on the market, projects with huge
budgets and tight deadlines looming, it’s easy to make the
mistake of relying on the tried and true of the past. And
why not? You have always specified the same service entrance
switchgear for your projects before, so what’s the problem? Simply
put: not all service entrance switchgear is created equal.
Service entrance switchgear is also referred to

as the point of common coupling (PCC).
Choosing equipment that is inappropriate for your project is

done at your potential peril. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Picking the correct equipment is easier than you think. So, what
should you examine when selecting the perfect service entrance
switchgear for your needs?
One of the many features of service entrance switchgear that may be customized
SERVICE ENTRANCE SWITCHGEAR VS. SWITCHGEAR is its exterior paint finish, which in a large facility can help differentiate it from
distribution switchgear.
Before we go any further, let’s take a minute to clearly define the
difference between the terms ‘switchgear’ and ‘service entrance
switchgear.’ No.31, Switchgear assemblies. Even then, utilities have their
In the simplest terms, switchgear is a combination of electrical own safety operating procedures that dictate switchgear design.
disconnect switches, fuses or circuit breakers that are used to This challenging relationship between manufacturers and utilities
control, protect and isolate electrical equipment. exists across borders in Canada and the U.S.
Service entrance switchgear, on the other hand, is the link Typically, downstream of the PCC, the customer-owned
between the utility grid and the end user’s system. It is also referred switchgear must meet the CE Code and CSA standard. As such, it
to as the point of common coupling (PCC), i.e. where two different doesn’t matter where in the world it was designed or manufactured,
systems operated by different entities connect. Everything that is so long as it is approved for use in Canada. And since it is installed
upstream of the PCC belongs to and is maintained by the utility, downstream of the PCC, the manufacturer doesn’t need to know
while everything that is downstream of the PCC belongs to and is which utility’s network it’s connecting to, because it’s operated by
maintained by the end user. the end user.
One of the larger challenges with service entrance equipment,
as with all other electrical equipment, is it must meet not only the
Canadian Electrical (CE) Code and standards for switchgear, but
also the utility’s operating requirements. Often, those requirements
can conflict with each other, so the equipment manufacturer will
have to find a way to reasonably accommodate both sides.
Not only is there a set of industry standards for manufacturers
that governs the way switchgear must be built, but there are also
other rules that must be followed for the utility to allow its workers
to operate the service entrance switchgear.
If you have trouble with your service entrance switchgear,

your whole building will be out of power.
For service entrance switchgear to be deemed safe by an inspector This switchgear, installed outdoors for a Toronto film studio, has been
from Ontario’s Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), for example, it must customized with tamper-resistant safety and security features—including
padlockable covers over the viewing windows and switch handles—to avoid
meet the criteria of Canadian Standards Association (CSA) C22.2 the need for a protective fence.
Article Reprint 621-R70 1
Service entrance switchgear, on the other hand, is unique in will result in more frequent maintenance needs, whereas equipment
that it must be designed to work equally well with the utility and the built to higher quality standards will reduce the number of outages.
end user—and, of course, each utility has unique requirements, Another factor to consider is customization, since every
based on its own safe operating procedures. service entrance switchgear project comes with its own unique
requirements. Retrofitting switchgear in an existing electrical room
OVERLOOKED AND UNDERAPPRECIATED will experience certain design constraints, such as ceiling height.
While it is clear the selection of service entrance switchgear is an Standard designs typically occupy a larger space, particularly in
important part of a project that needs to be addressed early on, terms of headroom, so a customized solution that is lower profile
it’s surprisingly often overlooked and underappreciated. That lack may be required instead. Having to raise the ceiling in a room to
of foresight can place an entire project in jeopardy. accommodate your service entrance switchgear, after all, would
What frequently happens is standard equipment will arrive on- result in immense costs or may otherwise be unfeasible.
site, but because the specific power grid details were not worked
out ahead of time, the utility could reject the service entrance THE RISKS OF THE WRONG SELECTION
switchgear for not meeting its requirements. For example, the Imagine having equipment you purchased show up on-site
switchgear could be built to CSA standards, but if the wireways that can’t be used. Well, if the service entrance switchgear as
are not sealed properly, as per the utility’s standards, then it delivered does not meet the proper utility standards, then it will not
may be rejected. The resulting delay in energizing the project be allowed to be hooked up. If you’re lucky, modifications to meet
could end up costing the end user significant amounts of money. the utility’s requirements can be made on-site, but otherwise, the
Being overlooked and underappreciated can also come from the equipment will have to be returned to the factory to be completely
mistaken belief that the rules and regulations in one place are rebuilt, thus further delaying the project, which costs everybody
the same across the board. For example, a consultant who has money. Contractors want to get off the job, get paid and move
primarily worked in Saskatchewan, where the main utility for the on. Owners want the building space occupied, particularly with
province is SaskPower, may only be familiar with that specific residential properties that have closings. Delayed closings are
utility’s requirements; whereas in Ontario, there are many smaller very expensive and when funding is involved, banks get nervous.
municipal utilities that each have their own requirements. So, a Service entrance switchgear is a critically important link to the
consultant who works principally in Regina and is knowledgeable grid. If you don’t have a reliable link, the negative implications are
on the corresponding standards, requirements and regulations huge: you’re out of power, you’re out of production and you’ll need
cannot assume the same standards, requirements and regulations backup generators.
will apply for a project in Ottawa. Indeed, the importance of service entrance switchgear cannot
be overstated. Making the right selection at the beginning means
WHAT TO CONSIDER one less thing to worry about on your project later on.
The first thing to acknowledge is how critically important service
entrance switchgear is as a link. If you have trouble with it, your
whole building is out of power. Teddy Chettiar, applications director for power quality products for
Secondly, as mentioned, it must be appreciated that not all S&C Electric Canada, has more than 10 years’ experience in the power
service entrance switchgear is created equal. Some equipment engineering industry.
is built to manufacturing standards that assume the best possible
conditions, like a clean and dry indoor location, which is not
realistic in many cases. You’ll have to deal with electrical rooms
where there are sprinklers and where leaks and minor floods can
occur. Equipment that’s tolerant for these conditions operates
more reliably in the long run.
You’ll also want to consider quality. Well-built service entrance
switchgear incorporates certain design features, such as welded
construction for outer enclosure, power fuses (as opposed to
current-limiting fuses) and copper bus instead of aluminum bus.
Service entrance switchgear that is built to lower quality standards
As an example of meeting a utility’s service entrance requirements, key inter-

locking prevents the closing of an incoming switch while a transformer feeder
door is open, ensuring a safe working environment for maintenance crews.

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Reprinted with permission from ELECTRICAL BUSINESS, September 2018

NOT ALL SERVICE

Service entrance switchgear is also referred to

Choosing equipment that is inappropriate for your project is

If you have trouble with your service entrance switchgear,

As an example of meeting a utility’s service entrance requirements, key inter-

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