Consider upgrading your electric panel before changes to BED’s service fees take effect in 2026

As more Burlingtonians take advantage of BED’s electrification rebates, upgrading your home electric panel may be necessary to support the increased load on your system. Currently, the costs of BED’s services to prepare your home for the upgrade, including field crew visits to your home to disconnect and reconnect your meter, have been covered by all ratepayers without additional charge to the individual property owner benefiting from the upgrade. BED has asked the Vermont Public Utility Commission (PUC) to allow these costs to be covered by a fee charged to the property owner benefiting from the service. In the case of an electric panel upgrade, the proposed fee is between $577 and $885, depending on the number of meters and whether the service is above or below ground. BED has asked the PUC to approve these new fees effective March 31, 2026, and therefore customers who are considering electric panel upgrades may wish to have this work done before the new fees take effect.

While some service fees are increasing or being implemented for the first time, others will be decreasing as part of BED’s PUC request. For example, the fee for performing initial service for a returning BED customer will decrease from $30 to $5, and the fee for a first-time BED customer will decrease from $30 to $15.

For a full list of BED’s proposed Miscellaneous Service Fees that were approved on November 3, 2025 by both the Burlington Board of Finance and City Council and to learn more about the reasoning behind proposed fee changes, please visit burlingtonelectric.com/proposedfees. Thank you!