Temporary Connections: The Complete Guide

If you don’t have access to a permanent power source for electricity, you’ll need a temporary meter. This type of temporary power supply works in a similar way to regular meters but are made with the intention of being uninstalled once your work is finished. These meters are usually in use for up to a year with the option of an extension if you’ve nearly completed the work. The meter will usually be decommissioned after the work is complete or converted to a permanent electricity or water supply.

There are two different types of temporary meters available for your construction project.

• Up to 70kVA: This type of temporary meter is best if your site only needs to power the basic power tools or lighting. This gives you the ideal amount for smaller sites, such as house renovations or small commercial construction projects.
• More than 70kVA: This type of temporary meter is best for larger building, construction, or industrial sites. If your business will need to power heavy machinery or site offices, this will be the best option for you.

You’ll usually be able to find a temporary electricity meter on construction or demolition sites. Usually, places where there won’t need to be a permanent supply of energy. There are lots of occasions where your business might need a temporary meter. For example, you’re building a new property and need electricity during the process. Or, if you need to power temporary generators, accommodation, or equipment.

When you begin the process of installing your temporary builder’s supply, you’ll need to identify the best place for the meter box. The temporary meter box should be in a suitable pillar or pole mounted box that’s weatherproof. The temporary electric meter box will need to be accessible from the road.

The first step to getting a temporary meter connection is to get in touch with one of our energy experts. They’ll be able to guide you through the whole process of setting up your temporary connection and make sure that your temporary energy supply is up and running as quickly as possible. There’s a couple of details they’ll need from you to help arrange for the meter installation:

• kVA capacity of the site
• Address of the site
• Whether you need a single phase or three phase
• A bird’s eye map view of the site with an ‘x’ marked on the exact location where you want the meter installed.

Once they have this information, we’ll pass it on to one of our approved suppliers and the chosen supplier will get your site going with a temporary supply. This process usually takes around 4 to 12 weeks. All of our temporary meter installations will comply with the Electrical Safety Regulations, and you’ll receive a valid certificate of compliance (COC) before your power is on. After that, your construction site will be up and running with a temporary power supply through a construction meter.