Like-for-Like Panel Replacement
Also known as: Like-for-likeIn-kind panel replacement
The 2026 PG&E Greenbook revision introduced a "like-for-like" rule for residential panel replacements. If a new panel matches the OLD panel in: amperage rating (e.g., 200A → 200A), physical location (same exterior wall, same height, same enclosure size), and service-entrance configuration (combination meter main → combination meter main), THEN the replacement can be completed without a full service-entrance re-inspection by PG&E.
Before this rule, every panel replacement required PG&E to schedule a service-entrance visit, often delaying the project by weeks. The like-for-like rule eliminates that delay for matching swaps.
A lot of panel work in SCC is like-for-like — a homeowner with a 30-year-old 200A panel wants a new modern 200A panel, same location. Under the new rule, that's a one-day install with no PG&E scheduling bottleneck. For homeowners increasing service amperage (100A → 200A, or 200A → 400A), the old rules still apply — full PG&E inspection required.
Like-for-like meaningfully shifted our turnaround time. For a customer who needs a panel swap and doesn't need additional service capacity, we can often do the work substantially faster than before. We confirm eligibility before quoting.
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