ADU Electrical Service with Modesto Irrigation District (MID)

Who MID serves

Public irrigation district providing electric service in the Modesto area; its residential guide refers applicants to local governing authorities such as the City of Modesto and Stanislaus County. Of the California places we cover, 3 are served mainly by Modesto Irrigation District (MID), and together they issued 573 ADU building permits from 2021 through 2025.

How MID handles new and upgraded service

Modesto Irrigation District (MID) handles new service, service upgrades and meter changes through its Design Project Request process. This is separate from the building permit, so start it as soon as the electrical load calculation shows what the ADU needs. The steps MID describes:

1. Submit the Design Project Request Form (or email/phone Electric Engineering), including the date service is needed.
2. An MID Engineering Technician reviews the application and contacts the applicant; MID may ask for site location, site maps, proposed panel location, desired voltage and load information.
3. Submit the Residential Load Form (attach plans if available); line extensions on private property require an easement or right-of-way.
4. A technician may meet you on site; MID Electric Engineering designs the service (the customer may need to complete underground substructure work).
5. MID sends a requirement letter listing fees and requirements; the customer signs it and pays fees before any inspections or installations begin.
6. Do not start construction until MID approves the design.
7. The main panel must pass inspection and be tagged by the city or county; MID cannot make final service connections until the panel is tagged.
8. Notify MID when substructure work and the panel are complete and tagged so the final connection (meter set) can be scheduled.

What MID asks for

• Utility service application / Design Project Request Form
• Residential Load Form (covers standalone single-family, ADUs, multi-unit dwellings or apartment buildings)
• Location of the proposed residence, site maps, proposed panel location, desired voltage, load information and requested service date
• Plans, if available
• Easement or right-of-way where a private-property line extension is needed

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

MID's Residential Electric Service Guide states that residential meter panels serving multiple dwelling units within the same building must be located together and served by a single overhead service drop (or single underground service cable set), and 'this applies to duplexes, triplexes, and attached ADUs,' using multi-meter panels or single meter panels joined by a bussed gutter. If two or more dwellings or buildings are on the same lot, consult MID on acceptable meter locations before wiring; for separate buildings at the rear of non-commercial lots, MID may install separate service facilities to the rear building if practical, or meters for all buildings may be grouped at one location where clearances are limited. MID's Residential Load Form lists ADUs among the property types it covers.

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 MID Electric Service Guide - Residential (effective July 1, 2026). We show the meter and service equipment on the electrical plan so the location can be confirmed with MID early.

Places MID serves that we cover

Place	County	Climate zone	ADU permits 2021–25
Modesto	Stanislaus	CZ 12	527
Waterford	Stanislaus	CZ 12	23
Salida (unincorp.)	Stanislaus	CZ 12	23

Sources

• mid.org/power/electric-service-guides/design-project-request-form
• mid.org/wp-content/uploads/Service-Guide-Residential.pdf
• mid.org/power/new-construction
• mid.org/power/rates-service-rules/electric-service-rules/electric-engineering-residential-load-form
• mid.org/power/electric-service-guides

Summarized from Modesto Irrigation District (MID)'s published pages. Utility processes, forms and rules change, so confirm the current requirements with MID (contact) before you apply.