Short answer. Express Connect covers residential panel changes and added load, new overhead electric service, ADU meters and overhead relocations — all up to 320 amps — plus gas meter upgrades and overhead temporary power up to 200A where infrastructure exists. PG&E's published averages: ~34 calendar days from submission to approval, ~66 days from approval to energization. Two deadlines: required documents within 19 days of submission if engineering review is needed, and your new panel installed within 20 days of approval.
What qualifies
| Project | Limit | Residential / commercial |
|---|---|---|
| Panel change, upgrade or added load | Up to 320A | Residential only |
| New overhead electric service | Up to 320A | Residential only |
| Overhead relocation | Up to 320A | Residential only |
| ADU — adding a meter and/or service | Up to 320A | Residential only |
| Gas meter upgrade | 0.25 PSI up to AL1000 meter | Residential & commercial |
| Temporary power | Overhead only, up to 200A, where infrastructure exists | — |
Not on the list: underground new service, anything over 320A, commercial electric, line extensions, projects needing new PG&E distribution facilities. Those run the standard process (timelines here).
The process, step by step
- Submit at YourProjects.pge.com with photos, floor plan, line drawing, site plan and load sheet.
- PG&E job owner contacts you within about 5 business days to verify the project and documents.
- Load assessment: pass or fail. Fail, and the job transfers to the standard New Project process. This is where most Express Connect jobs die.
- Approval (~34 days average from submission). You get a project number.
- You install the new panel in the approved location within 20 calendar days, send clearance photos if asked, and schedule installation through PG&E's Express Connect scheduling desk.
- Inspections, PG&E installation, closeout (~66 days average from approval).
How jobs fall out
- Load calculation doesn't pass. Existing plus proposed load, service size, EV, solar, HVAC, ADU — the numbers have to agree with the single-line and the panel you're requesting.
- Documents late. If engineering review is required, everything is due within 19 calendar days of submission.
- Panel not installed within 20 days of approval.
- Wrong category. A 400A request is not Express Connect no matter how it's labeled. Underground is not Express Connect.
- Drawings that don't match. Meter location not shown, address mismatch, unreadable site plan.
Rule of thumb: Express Connect rewards a complete, consistent package on day one. The fast path is mostly a paperwork discipline.
Questions builders ask
Does a 400A upgrade qualify for Express Connect?
No. The residential ceiling is 320A. A 400A (320C) service runs the standard process.
Is Express Connect available for commercial buildings?
Only gas meter upgrades. Commercial electric work is standard process.
What happens if my load calc fails?
PG&E transfers the project to the standard New Project process — design up to 60 business days, construction up to 60 business days after that.
Want PG&E off your desk?
MeterSet files, tracks and escalates PG&E work for Bay Area builders — new service, upgrades, temp power, disconnects. Flat fees. Weekly updates. 250+ utility engagements.
More PG&E guides
How long does PG&E take for new electric service?Application to energization, by project type — and what the CPUC now requires.Upgrading to 200A or 400A with PG&EPanel upgrade, service upgrade, added load — which path you're on and what PG&E needs.PG&E temporary power for construction sitesWhen temp power is fast, when it isn't, and what to have ready before you apply.PG&E electric and gas disconnects for demolitionGetting services terminated before the demo permit — the step that stalls teardowns.
Sources. PG&E Building & Renovation Services (pge.com); PG&E Express Connect Customer Journey (PDF); PG&E Applicant Design Process (PDF); CPUC Decision D.24-09-020 and the June 2025 energization-timelines workshop deck (cpuc.ca.gov); PG&E Electric Rules 15, 16 and 29. Figures are PG&E's published averages and CPUC targets as of September 2026 and can change.