Whole-home electrification in Southern California

One service, many loads

An all-electric home pulls a lot from one set of wires coming off the pole. A heat pump, a heat pump water heater, an induction range, a dryer and an EV charger each run on 240 volts. The panel and the utility service have to carry them together. That is why electrification is a sequencing problem more than a shopping list.

The order of operations guide walks through it in detail. The short version is below.

A sensible order

1. Load calculation and panel review. An electrician adds up the loads you have and the loads you plan. The load calculation guide explains the method. This tells you whether the panel can stay or must change.
2. Panel or service upgrade, if the numbers say so. A typical swap to 200 amps runs $2,500 to $4,500. Moving the meter or running a new service can run higher. See panel upgrades.
3. Heat pump water heater and heat pump HVAC at end of life. Replace gas equipment when it fails, not before. The circuits are covered on the heat pump and appliance circuits page.
4. EV charger circuit. A dedicated 240V circuit for a Level 2 charger typically runs $1,000 to $2,000 for the circuit and mounting, and the charger itself is often extra. See EV chargers. If the panel step comes first, the charger rides on it.
5. Induction cooktop or range. Often 40 to 50 amps on a new circuit.
6. Battery and solar tie-in. The electrical side of a home battery typically runs $1,500 to $4,000, and the battery hardware is extra. It goes last because it should be sized to the loads you actually have. See backup power and solar and battery tie-in.

Skipping step 1 is the common mistake. A charger installed on a full panel can force a second visit for a panel upgrade.

When one project makes sense

A bundled project works when you already know the panel is too small. The electrician pulls one permit for the service, adds the new circuits while the panel is open, and the city and utility each visit once. A split project works when the panel has room today and the appliances will fail at different times.

Phasing is fine if the first step leaves room. Ask the electrician to leave breaker spaces and conduit for the later loads. The cost of that is small compared with opening the same wall twice.

Utility steps

A panel or service change often needs the city inspection and a utility visit. In SCE territory, the utility sets the meter after the city clears the job. In SDG&E territory, the utility disconnects and reconnects the meter around the inspection. LADWP, Pasadena, Burbank, Glendale, Riverside and Anaheim each have their own utility rules. The utility coordination guide lays out the differences. Plan for weeks to months if the utility has to change its own equipment.

Rate plans matter once you electrify. SCE’s TOU-D-PRIME plan is open to customers with an EV, a home battery or an electric heat pump. It has a peak window from 4 to 9 p.m. every day. Check your own bill history before switching.

Incentives as of October 2026

The picture is mixed:

• Federal credits: ended for 2026 installs. The IRS says the residential clean energy credit does not apply after December 31, 2025. The home improvement credit that covered heat pumps and panels has also ended.
• TECH Clean California and HEEHRA: reserved or waitlisted as of the dates on TECH’s page. Do not install before a waitlisted reservation is approved.
• SCE Charge Ready Home: up to $4,200 toward a 200-amp panel and a Level 2 charger circuit for eligible income-qualified SCE households; check current tiers; an outlet-only rebate of up to $1,000 applies if the panel is already 200 amps or more. SCE takes applications while you plan, during the work, or up to six months after, but holds funds only once you are approved.
• SGIP battery rebates: the ratepayer budgets closed to new submissions on December 31, 2025. The income-based equity budget was on a waitlist in most areas as of October 29, 2026, so ask the program administrator for your utility.
• City utilities: Pasadena offers a panel rebate, and Burbank, Glendale, Riverside and Anaheim have charger or storage rebates. Use the utility rebate finder.

What to read next

• Order of operations guide for the full sequence.
• Federal tax credits status for what ended.
• ADU and remodel electrical if you are building or remodeling at the same time.
• Send a photo of your panel to start with the load calculation.