Panel Upgrades

When You Need a Panel Upgrade

Most homes built before the 1990s came with 100-amp electrical service panels. That was adequate for the time, but modern households run substantially more electrical load — central air conditioning, EV chargers, home offices, modern appliances, and entertainment systems can push a 100-amp panel to its limit. If your breakers trip regularly, if you're adding a major appliance, or if you're planning a home addition, a panel upgrade is likely on the table.

Other signs you may need an upgrade: your panel is a brand known for problems (Federal Pacific, Zinsco, or certain older Pushmatic models), your panel doesn't have space for additional circuits, or a home inspector has flagged it during a real estate transaction.

What the Upgrade Involves

A panel upgrade is a full replacement of the main electrical service panel — the metal box that houses your circuit breakers. Stevens Electrical handles the entire process: pulling the required permit from the City of Lincoln, coordinating a utility shutoff with LES or NPPD, installing the new panel and breakers, and scheduling the city inspection.

Most panel upgrades also include replacing the meter socket and service entrance cable if they are undersized or worn. If you're upgrading from 100A to 200A, the conductors running from the utility to your panel will need to support the larger capacity — we assess this as part of every panel quote.