?
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
Question:
Hello Code Question of the Day, my question is regarding a pad mounted high voltage transformers and residential homes. My builder failed to submit a change to the county and electric company, and now there is a pad mounted transformer directly in front of my garage door about ten feet distance from the garage overhead door. With the transformer located there, one has to be very careful not to pull out of the garage and run over it. I do not work in construction, but it seems crazy to me that this would be allowed. Are there any rules or codes that would prohibit an installation like this? Any help on this would greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, Randy Hamby
A
Answer:
Hello Randy, sorry to hear about your situation. Generally, the requirements of the
National Electrical Code do not apply to utility installation and utility owned electrical distribution equipment like the pad mount transformer described in your question. A good start would be to reach out to the utility that installed the transformer. They will have a vested interest in keeping the public safe as well as, keeping the transformer from being damaged. Alternatively, utilities are governed by a state or local public service commission responsible for utility oversight and regulations, including installation requirements. If reaching out to the utility directly for resolution, does not help, then contacting the public service commission may be an effective next step.