New Construction

Procedure to obtain electric service for new construction

The individual responsible for decisions about a new construction project should contact Hopkinsville Electric System (HES) as to location and configuration of metering, conduit, service wires, etc. needed for adequate service.

An electrical installation permit must be purchased from the Planning and Zoning Office in the Lackey Municipal Building, 101 North Main Street. The fee for this permit varies as to the project being residential or commercial and its size. Two copies of the permit will be issued – one to be kept by the individual and the other to be given to HES.

Application for electric service must be made at the HES office complex at 1820 East Ninth Street. When application is made, HES will require the individual to provide personal identification, social security number, fee and deposit payment, electrical installation permit and to complete any other documents needed for the particular service.

Upon written notification that the installation has been passed by the Electric Inspector, Hopkinsville Electric System will schedule the connection of the new service as quickly as possible.

Policy for Underground Electrical Facilities

The customer shall submit to the Hopkinsville Electric System a written request for underground electrical service along with a complete plat of the development. This request and plat shall outline which areas are to be developed first, second, third, etc.; type of housing proposed; anticipated construction schedules and proposed location of all underground utilities.
The Hopkinsville Electric System reserves the right to refuse to install underground facilities when in Hopkinsville Electric System's opinion the development does not lend itself to sound economic and engineering practices for underground power distribution or where sufficient recorded easements and information are not provided.
The customer agrees to complete an electrical load form in order to provide the Hopkinsville Electric System's engineering staff with sufficient data to provide safe and adequate electric service for the foreseeable future.
The Hopkinsville Electric System shall make all decisions as to the design and location of facilities. All requirements outlined in the Hopkinsville Electric System's Schedule of Rules and Regulations with regard to electric service shall apply to this policy.
All meter bases will be provided and owned by developer. Specifications for the type meter base will be provided by Hopkinsville Electric System.
Any damage caused to the Hopkinsville Electric System facilities during construction periods shall be the responsibility of the customer/developer and he will pay for the repair or replacement of the damaged facilities. Damage to Hopkinsville Electric System facilities after completion of construction shall be the responsibility of the persons or firms causing the damage. Hopkinsville Electric System will assume ownership and all maintenance responsibilities associated with aging of the underground system once that system has passed final inspection after construction. All conductors will be installed before the final inspection can be completed.
All underground construction by the customer/developer is subject to inspection by the Hopkinsville Electric System and must be approved by the Hopkinsville Electric System prior to the installation of conductor and transformers. The conduit system must be inspected prior to backfilling. The customer/developer will notify the Hopkinsville Electric System one full working day prior to a requested inspection.
Special charges may be applicable for non-stranded facilities.

Underground Service from Overhead Primary Lines

Customer will contact the Hopkinsville Electric System for spotting meter location on building. This meter location will be on the side of the house nearest to existing electrical facilities. It shall not be in a carport or porch.
Customer will open trench from meter location to pole. Minimum depth of conduit to be 30" below existing and finished grade including drainage ditches.
Customer will furnish and install a continuous run of 2" Schedule 40 PVC conduit from the meter base to the base of the designated pole. The permissible number of bends shall not exceed 3 – 90 degree elbows or the equivalent thereof. This number of elbows shall include the elbow below the meter base and the elbow at the pole. All bends shall have a radius of not less that 18". The Hopkinsville Electric System will furnish and customer will install a "warning tape" 18" above the conduit. The customer will provide and install a temporary cap on the conduit at the pole end. Customer will install a pull string for the installation of conductors.
Customer will be allowed to have services installed that run under permanent structures. This will be allowed in cases where running under a structure is less complicated and possibly eliminates a bend. A 12" minimum clearance must be maintained below any part of the structure foundation to allow for settling and 30" minimum depth must be maintained under all circumstances. It will be the responsibility of the customer to provide a new route for service if a failure should occur in an area that has no access for repair and conduit failure eliminates the possibility of pulling in new service wire. As always, it will be Hopkinsville Electric System's decision as to the design and location of facilities.
The customer will backfill trench with clean dirt. No foreign material or building debris is allowed in the trench.
When installing power conductor parallel to water, sewer, gas, telephone or television lines, a minimum of 24" separation shall be maintained. No other utilities may be directly above the power conduit. When power conduits cross the lines of other utilities, the power conduit shall be 12" below the other utilities or 12" above if concrete encased. The 30" minimum depth must be maintained under all circumstances.
Special permission and instructions shall be obtained from the Hopkinsville Electric System for services exceeding 200 amperes single phase.
When an existing overhead service is to be replaced with an underground service for the sole convenience of the customer, he shall abide by all of the above regulations and shall pay an additional fee of $100 to the Hopkinsville Electric System, in advance, for the removal of the existing overhead service.

Any changes to be made to existing underground services will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Underground Primary and Secondary to Subdivisions

Note: SUBDIVISIONS SHALL BE TO NOT LESS THAN ROUGH GRADE AND SHALL HAVE ALL SIGNIFICANT LOT CORNERS AND CONTROL POINTS STAKED PRIOR TO STAKING FOR PROPOSED TRENCHING.

Customer shall open a trench as staked by the Hopkinsville Electric System Engineering Department. Bottom of trench shall be uniformly graded and shall have the following minimum depths below finish and existing grade including drainage ditches.
Customer shall furnish and install up to three continuous runs of 4" Schedule 40 PVC electrical conduit. Conduit is to be capped at both ends. Conduit shall terminate in transformer pads, pull boxes, switch gear pads, service pedestals or turned up at a pole as required by the Hopkinsville Electric System. Customer will install pull string for the installation of conductors.
The Hopkinsville Electric System will furnish and the customer shall install "warning tape" at a depth of 18" above the conduit.
Trench shall be backfilled with clean dirt. No foreign material or building debris shall be allowed in the trench.
When installing power conduits parallel to water, sewer, gas, telephone or television lines a 24" separation shall be maintained. No other utilities may be directly above the power conduit.
Power conduits crossing other utility lines shall be encased in concrete 4' on each side of crossing. Concrete shall be a minimum of 4" around conduit.
The customer shall provide and install all pads for the placement of power distribution padmount transformers and switching equipment enclosures. All concrete pads shall be constructed to specifications furnished by the Hopkinsville Electric System. The customer shall provide and install pull boxes per the Hopkinsville Electric System conduit system design.
All conduit routes, concrete pads, pull boxes; service pedestals, meter locations and pole risers shall be designed and located by the Hopkinsville Electric System.
All bends in the conduit for underground primary conductor shall have a minimum radius of 36" and in no case shall there be more than four 90 degree elbows or the equivalent thereof in any conduit run. Bends shall be steel or rigid conduit if so designated by HES.
The trenches containing conduits under any road surface shall be backfilled to the specifications of the authority in charge of these roads.

Sale of Materials

The Hopkinsville Electric System will sell to local contractors and/or electricians only emergency need items, which are not available from merchandisers locally.
The sale must be approved by the Engineering and Operations Manager.
The item to be sold must be presented to the Office Manager/Controller or designee for pricing.

Variations from this procedure will not be made unless approved by the General Manager.