Inside the City of Schenectady, the city issues the electrical permit. The city inspects. That is not Rotterdam. That is not Niskayuna. Median year built is about 1938. Fuse boxes and 60-amp services are not a surprise.
We are Choice Electric. Family-owned at 2767 Curry Road, Schenectady, NY 12303. Licensed and insured. IBEW Local 236. National Grid. 24-hour emergency. One-year parts and labor.
Call or text (518) 952-0228. You will hear if you need 200 amps, or if the fuse box is the emergency.
City permit, city inspection, then National Grid
We pull the city electrical permit. City inspectors check the work. National Grid will not energize a new or upgraded service without that approval.
Rotterdam, Niskayuna, and Glenville use a third-party inspector instead. If you are outside the city line, use those town pages. This page is city work.
1938 housing: Stockade to Bellevue
We work the Stockade, Hamilton Hill, Mont Pleasant, Bellevue, and State Street. Off Altamont Avenue too. That stock is older than a Colonie ranch and tighter than a Clifton Park subdivision.
Fuse boxes still open in those neighborhoods. So do Federal Pacific and Stab-Lok covers. 60-amp and 100-amp services are common. Fine for a gas range and one TV. Not fine for a dryer, a heat pump, and a Level 2 charger.
If the cover says FPE or Stab-Lok, we replace it. A subpanel downstream of that main is not a repair.
What a 200-amp upgrade usually costs here
We published the county write-up. A complete 200-amp upgrade is usually $4,500 to $10,000+. That covers the emergency disconnect, service grounding, a new main panel, and new breakers.
Read the full breakdown at Electrical Panel Upgrades in Schenectady County (2026).
Price still moves with the house. Underground costs more than overhead. A pipe-riser job is not a mast job. Tight basements, trees, and landscaping add time. We confirm the number after we see the service.
100 amps, 200 amps, and the utility outage
Going 100 to 200 amps needs National Grid. They disconnect. We pull the old gear, land the new socket and panel, handle grounding and bonding, and call inspection. After a pass, they restore power and set or reseal the meter.
A garage job with clearance can be a one-day outage. A city basement with no working space is not that job.
City of Schenectady permits dated December 31, 2025 or later follow the 2023 NEC. New York adopted it through the 2025 Uniform Code, outside New York City. Outdoor emergency disconnects. More GFCI.
- Fuse box conversion, 200 amps when the drop and load calc require it
- Federal Pacific and Stab-Lok replacement
- 60-amp or 100-amp to 200-amp service
- Storm-damaged mast, weatherhead, or service cable
Adding a charger? See EV charger installation. The city panel has to hold the load first.
Programs that may help in the city
NY Clean Heat pays the HVAC contractor for a heat pump. It does not pay the electrician for a standalone panel.
Income-eligible one-family homes should check EmPower+ Sustainable Futures. NYSERDA lists up to $5,000 for a panel box and $2,500 for wiring on top of core caps. Confirm current amounts at nyserda.ny.gov/empower. Do not assume programs stack.
Call the Schenectady shop
Choice Electric, 2767 Curry Road, Schenectady, NY 12303. Call or text (518) 952-0228.
Family-owned Schenectady shop. IBEW Local 236. 24-hour emergency. One-year parts and labor. More on the trade at our electric panels hub.