Why this matters
Unlike Seattle (where Seattle City Light is a city department), Portland's electric utility is Portland General Electric — investor-owned, not city. Pacific Power covers a small slice of the metro. The service request, line work, meter, and energization scheduling all happen with PGE, not the city.
Most Portland houses built before ~1990 have a 100A or 125A service. A new DADU with an electric range, heat pump, and EV charging won't fit alongside the primary house on 100A. You'll do one of three things:
- Upgrade the existing service to 200A. $3,000-$6,000 for the electrical work; PGE may need to pull a new drop. Most common.
- Run a sub-panel from the existing service. Cheaper, but only works if the existing load is light.
- Install a separate service for the DADU. Most expensive; PGE sets a new meter. $5,000-$10,000+ plus PGE fees. Lets the DADU be billed separately.
How to do it
- Find the existing main panel. Note the main breaker amp rating and how many slots are open.
- Hire a CCB-licensed electrician for a one-hour walk-through. They write up a load assessment.
- Submit a service request on PGE's builders portal. Service-upgrade lead times commonly run 6-16 weeks — file now if you can.
Where this hits permit
PP&D's electrical reviewer will ask for the load calculation and the service-size assumption at plan review. Getting it wrong here triggers a re-submittal cycle.
Where this information came from
- Portland General Electric — Builders & New Construction (electric service for residential builders) · retrieved April 23, 2026