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Service Requests

Suite Metering for Condominiums Upgrading or Relocating an Existing Service Permanent Service Removal (Demolitions) Temporary Service Service Layout Request Temporary Service Isolation Substation Maintenance Service Isolation Request Service Isolation for Restricted Area Access

Home Account & Billing Residential Service Requests

At Burlington Hydro, a diverse and skilled team works behind the scenes to keep power safe and reliable — from engineers who design our systems to line crews, stations, metering, and control teams who maintain and monitor them daily.

Whether it’s building new infrastructure or responding to outages, their expertise ensures our community stays connected. If you need assistance, use the service request options below to start the process and ensure your request is handled efficiently.

If you need assistance, use the service request options below to start the process and ensure your request is handled efficiently.

Suite Metering for Condominiums

What is Suite Metering?

Suite metering is a program for condominiums where each suite or unit in the condominium has its own meter and the electricity consumed is billed to the unit owner directly. This gives individual unit owners control over their own usage. Convenient online access to their account and time-of-use rates encourage energy conservation.

A separate account is created for the electricity use in common areas including hallways, lobbies, garages, laundry rooms, party rooms and exercise areas as well as by heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Developers, condominium boards, property managers and building owners are provided with the ability to better manage consumption in common areas and the opportunity to reduce condominium fees.

What is included in the Suite Metering Solution?

Burlington Hydro is regulated by the Ontario Energy Board to provide suite metering in our service area. We can provide a full turnkey suite metering solution tailored to the needs of each condominium that includes:

  • An initial assessment
  • System design
  • Project management including planning approvals
  • Free, expert installation / retrofit of all suite metering equipment
  • Lifetime automated meter reading, maintenance and recertification
  • Account management services including billing, customer service and collections

For more information, contact us at [email protected].

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Connecting Power to a New Home or Business

If you’re building a new home or business and need to establish electricity service, Burlington Hydro is here to guide you through the process. Follow the steps below to ensure a smooth and timely connection.

Begin by completing the appropriate service request form for your project type. Because new service installations can be complex, we recommend working with a Licensed Electrician, Licensed Electrical Contractor, or consultant to prepare your application. You or your contractor will need to provide project details such as site plans, architectural drawings, building permits, zoning certifications, and load calculations.

Residential Service Request Commercial Service Request

The Burlington Hydro Engineering department will review your request, confirm details, and create a Service Layout or Offer to Connect outlining the scope, cost, and next steps.

Please sign and return your agreement, along with your fee payment, if applicable. Burlington Hydro will then complete the design, secure permits, and schedule construction. You or your contractor must prepare the site and ensure it’s safe and accessible.

Our crews will complete the scope of work. Once finished, you’ll need to schedule an Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) inspection at esasafe.com. After ESA approval, Burlington Hydro will conduct a final site inspection.

When all requirements are met, we’ll connect your service to the grid — powering your new property with safe, reliable electricity.

Capacity Allocation Model (CAM)

The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) has introduced a Capacity Allocation Model (CAM) to ensure a fair and transparent allocation of system capacity and costs.

This applies when major system upgrades are needed to serve multiple new residential areas or customer connections in a specific development.

Under the CAM, system expansions provide major new distribution capacity—like building a transformer station or adding long distribution lines—when existing infrastructure can’t meet future demand.

The CAM does not apply to single-customer expansions that can be completed within one year.

The CAM takes effect on September 16, 2025. For detailed guidance on the methodology, please refer to Appendix I – Methodology for Implementing a Capacity Allocation Model of the Distribution System Code (DSC).

Learn more about CAM
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Upgrading or Relocating an Existing Service

If you’re renovating, expanding, or making changes to your property that affect your electrical service, Burlington Hydro can help you upgrade or relocate safely and efficiently.

Service upgrades or relocations may be needed for projects such as:

  • Major home or business renovations or extensions
  • Service panel upgrades or meter relocations
  • Adding new meters for apartments or businesses
  • Installing an EV charger, solar panels, or other generation
  • Installing pools, hot tubs, decks, or sheds near existing lines
  • Switching from gas to electric appliances
  • Moving service from overhead to underground, or relocating poles

Start by completing the appropriate service upgrade form below. Upgrades can be complex, so we recommend working with a Licensed Electrician, Licensed Electrical Contractor or consultant. You’ll need to include details such as site plans, drawings, permits, and load calculations.

Residential Upgrade Request Commercial Upgrade Request

The Burlington Hydro Engineering department will review your request, confirm details, and provide a Service Layout (if applicable) or an Offer to Connect outlining requirements, standards, and estimated costs.

Once payment is received, Burlington Hydro will schedule the work. Your licensed electrician or contractor will coordinate with our team for any required disconnects, permits, and Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) inspections.

Permanent Service Removal (Demolitions)

If you’re demolishing a building in Burlington, the electricity service must be safely disconnected and all related equipment removed before work begins.

As part of the City of Burlington’s Demolition Process, you’ll need to:

  • Apply to Burlington Hydro for a Service Demolition
  • Provide the City’s Pre-Permit Clearance Form
  • Pay any applicable removal fees

If you require power during demolition, you may also need to apply for a Temporary Service. To begin, please contact Burlington Hydro’s Engineering department by email to start your Service Demolition request.

Temporary Service

If you need temporary power for construction or short-term use, Burlington Hydro can help you get connected safely and efficiently.

To apply, complete the Temporary Service Request Form and include your site plan. We recommend working with a Licensed Electrician, Electrical Contractor or Consultant to ensure your application is complete.

Once your request is received, an Engineering Technician will be assigned to your project. They will prepare a Service Layout, confirm any required fees or additional information, and provide an estimated timeline for connection.

Two people hold clipboards with technical site maps and documents outdoors in a snowy construction area.

Service Layout Request

You can use request your Service Layout by contacting our Engineering Department by email at [email protected].

Temporary Service Isolation

Working near live electrical lines is dangerous.

To perform maintenance safely (roofing, painting, etc.), follow these steps to schedule a temporary service isolation.

Complete the Temporary Service Request Form with:

  • Your name, service address, and contact info
  • Electrical contractor/consultant info (if applicable)
  • Work description and estimated duration of service isolation

Note: Each residential or commercial customer may request one service disconnection/isolation per year free of charge during regular business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm, excluding holidays). Fees will apply if you require work to be done outside of business hours or more than one disconnection/isolation per year.

Our Engineering department will confirm availability and schedule the disconnection and reconnection.

Important: The property owner or authorized representative must be on-site for both.

Some reconnections require approval from the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). Contact the ESA to confirm inspection or pre-authorization. Typical cases include:

  • Disconnections longer than six months
  • Fires, floods, lightning, explosions, or other disasters
  • Altered wiring, theft, or properties used for illicit activities
  • Service will be disconnected on the scheduled morning.
  • Reconnection occurs once work is complete and ESA authorization (if required) is provided.
  • The property owner or authorized representative must be present for both.

Substation Maintenance Service Isolation Request

If you need to perform maintenance, upgrades, or repairs on your customer-owned substation equipment, a temporary service isolation (power disconnection) is required. Burlington Hydro will safely disconnect your service, allowing the work to proceed, and reconnect it once the project is complete.

Note: Each commercial customer may request one service isolation per year free of charge during regular business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm, excluding holidays). Additional requests, after-hours work, or requiring a crew to remain on site may incur fees.

Complete and submit the Isolation Service Request Form. Approval from the Engineering department is required before any work can proceed. Appointments may take several weeks to schedule, so please submit your request well in advance.

Required information includes:

  • Company details: Name (account holder), address, contact name, email, and phone number
  • Contractor details: Company name, address, site contact name, email, and phone number
  • Project details:
    • Project location
    • Purchase order number and issuer
    • Costs billed to customer or contractor
    • Requested date of outage
    • Requested isolation start time
    • Whether a Burlington Hydro crew is requested to be on site for the outage
    • Requested restoration time
    • Reason for outage
    • Confirmation that no alterations will be made to your service (e.g., new equipment installation, generation changes, or load adjustments)

Important: A valid Operating Agreement with Burlington Hydro must be in place before the isolation request can be confirmed. If no agreement exists, your request may be delayed until it is established.

Once your request is reviewed and processed, the Engineering department will confirm availability and schedule the disconnection and reconnection.

Please note:

  • The property owner or authorized representative (contractor or electrician) must be on-site for both disconnection and reconnection.
  • Burlington Hydro staff cannot operate customer-owned equipment. Your operators must be present to avoid delays or cancellations.
  • We make every effort to arrive at the scheduled time. However, in the event of an emergency, priority response may cause delays.

Reconnection may require approval from the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). Contact the ESA to determine whether an inspector can review the work on the day of reconnection or if a pre-authorized connection can be issued.

Service Isolation for Restricted Area Access

Burlington Hydro secures all vaults and enclosures containing high-voltage equipment.

If you need to inspect an electrical vault on your property, you must request restricted area access. In some cases, your service may need to be temporarily disconnected to ensure safety.

Email the Engineering department with the following information:

  • Customer name, service address, email, and phone number(s)
  • Name and contact information of the on-site representative
  • Description of the area requiring access and purpose (e.g., fire system inspection, maintenance)
  • Requested date for access
  • Requested restoration time

Important: Appointments can take several weeks to schedule, so submit your request well in advance. Fees apply for access outside of business hours or if more than one inspection per year is requested.

Once your request is received, the Engineering department will confirm availability and schedule any required service disconnection and reconnection.

Please note:

  • The property owner or authorized representative (contractor or electrician) must be on-site for both disconnection and reconnection.
  • Vault owners are responsible for maintaining their property in a safe condition that meets Burlington Hydro’s access, maintenance, and operational standards.
  • If deficiencies are identified in the vault, they must be addressed prior to access, and associated costs may apply.
  • We make every effort to arrive at the scheduled time. However, in the event of an emergency, priority response may cause delays.
  • Service will be disconnected on the scheduled morning.
  • Power will be restored once work is complete and Burlington Hydro is notified.
  • The property owner or authorized representative must be present for both disconnection and reconnection.
Review Powerline Advice Protocols