ADU Electrical Service with Burbank Water and Power
How to get a service upgrade, a new or separate meter, or a relocated service from Burbank Water and Power when you add an ADU, and what our electrical plans give you for that application.
Who Burbank Water and Power serves
Municipal electric and water utility of the City of Burbank, California. Of the California places we cover, 1 is served mainly by Burbank Water and Power, and together they issued 1,376 ADU building permits from 2021 through 2025.
How Burbank Water and Power handles new and upgraded service
Burbank Water and Power handles new service, service upgrades and meter changes through its Electric Residential Service Planning. This is separate from the building permit, so start it as soon as the electrical load calculation shows what the ADU needs. The steps Burbank Water and Power describes:
- Before work, contact BWP and meet with staff to determine type of service, point of termination and meter location (Rules 2.01(c)-(d)).
- Book a residential field visit online with an Electrical Service Planner to spot the new meter panel location and obtain a Confirmation of Electric Service (meter spot).
- If plans require BWP electric review, the Building Division routes them to BWP digitally; BWP issues payment information, the applicant pays the review fee, then schedules the field visit; BWP issues comments and, for a new service or a conflict with the existing service, a Confirmation of Electric Service for the relocation or upgrade.
- Obtain the electrical permit from the Building Division; a valid Confirmation from BWP is required to apply.
- Pay any BWP charges shown on the Confirmation (Aid-in-Construction); BWP fees are separate from Building Division permit fees and must be paid before energizing.
- Upgrades: request meter unlock with the active permit number after charges are paid. New services: obtain a legal address from Public Works and set up a billing account; BWP energizes only with an active billing account.
- Underground services: request a BWP underground (substructure) inspection before covering; this is separate from Building Division inspections.
- Complete work per the Confirmation, adopted codes and EUSERC; then call the Building Division for final inspection.
- After the Building Division final (and BWP underground inspection where applicable), the Building Division notifies BWP and BWP issues a service order to install/connect the service.
What Burbank Water and Power asks for
- Single line diagram and electrical load schedule showing proposed main service size, furnished at the BWP appointment (Rule 2.01(d))
- Electrical permit number (for meter unlock)
- Plans routed by the Building Division for BWP electric plan review, where required
- Cashier Receipt Checklist / invoice number with payments
Our ADU electrical plans include the NEC Article 220 load calculation, panel schedule and single-line diagram, which cover the load and equipment information on this list. Site-plan and service-location details come from your architectural set.
A separate meter for the ADU
BWP Rules and Regulations 2.11(d): City-approved ADUs are to be served from the existing meter panel at the premise. 2.11(e): customers may request an additional electric meter for a City-approved ADU through a service panel upgrade; the service is then considered a multiple meter installation and the customer is responsible for associated costs (service drop replacement, meter installation, inspection).
Whether a separate meter makes sense depends on the load calculation, the existing service size and the cost of the utility work. See when a separate service is required instead of a subpanel.
Service requirements
Meter location, clearances and service equipment must follow BWP Rules and Regulations Governing Utility Service (signed 06/12/26) plus BWP Electric Service Specifications (S-series standards). We show the meter and service equipment on the electrical plan so the location can be confirmed with Burbank Water and Power early.
Places Burbank Water and Power serves that we cover
| Place | County | Climate zone | ADU permits 2021–25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burbank | Los Angeles | CZ 9 | 1,376 |
Sources
- burbankwaterandpower.com/electric/electricplanning
- burbankwaterandpower.com/documents/d/guest/bwp-rules-and-regulations
- burbankwaterandpower.com/documents/d/guest/BWPProceduresForNewUndergroundElectricalServiceandorUpgrades
- burbankwaterandpower.com/documents/d/guest/BWPProceduresForNewOverheadElectricalServiceandorUpgrades
- burbankwaterandpower.com/documents/d/guest/BWPProceduresForPermitPlanReview-Electric
- burbankwaterandpower.com/electric-service-planning-faq
- burbankwaterandpower.com/electric-specifications
- burbankca.gov/documents/173607/0/BWP+Electric+ADU+Plan+Check+Requirements.pdf/a87c01b6-708a-4b9f-7d3a-31ebaa8b82d6?t=1703281167942
Summarized from Burbank Water and Power's published pages. Utility processes, forms and rules change, so confirm the current requirements with Burbank Water and Power (contact) before you apply.
Need ADU electrical plans for a Burbank Water and Power service request?
We prepare the load calculation, panel schedule and single-line diagram the utility and the building department both review.
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