Start/Stop/Transfer/Upgrade Services

To establish service at a location without existing electric facilities, potential members will be asked to call to provide information about themselves and their potential energy needs or fill out our new service application online.

Before calling our office, please review a list of potential questions (PDF) that you will be asked about your planned construction project and your energy needs.

If you have never had service with Paulding Putnam before, you must complete a membership application. This can be done over the phone or in our office. A soft credit check will be run on the individual submitting the application.

The next step is to meet with our Staking Technician at the building site to review the service's installation options.

Before scheduling this meeting, the following must be completed:

1. All buildings must be staked.
2. The driveway must be marked.
3. The locations of the septic/leech field and well must be approved by the governing county (and preferably staked).

During this meeting, the Technician will provide you with options and a final site plan that shows how the service should be installed, an upfront cost contribution-in-aid-of-construction quote (if applicable), a checklist for installation of your service, spec drawings, and instructions on how to proceed if any further steps need to be completed.

Please bring a copy of the deed or survey to this meeting.

If any Contribution-in-Aid-of-Construction amounts are required, they must be paid before construction of electric facilities can be scheduled. If there are additional construction responsibilities (e.g., tree trimming, final grading, conduit installation), they must also be completed before construction is planned. These additional responsibilities will be outlined in the checklist and discussed during the meeting with the staking technician.

Members are responsible for trenching and insulating approved conduit systems in underground applications. The trench and conduit must be constructed and installed to Paulding Putnam specifications as outlined on the Guideline Checklist (provided during the staking meeting), and a Paulding Putnam technician will inspect them prior to scheduling final connections.

Note: Members are also responsible for contacting 811, or visiting the call811 website, 48 hours before construction is to start.

When the member’s construction responsibilities have been completed and all electrical inspections have been secured, Paulding Putnam will schedule your job for construction accordingly.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with Paulding Putnam at (800) 686-2357.

Once all required information is received, all new electric service requests will follow a standard 60 business-day timeline. This structured process ensures fairness, transparency, and efficiency for every member request.

We’ll always work to complete projects sooner, but some factors—weather, permits, or material availability—may extend timelines. Clear expectations mean fewer delays, better communication, and more focus on completing the work.

We appreciate your patience as we continue balancing our growing electric and broadband operations while serving all members with fairness and accountability.

60-day window under normal conditions:

1. Initial contact and meetings (est. 3 to 5 days): Site visit(s), review of load requirements, project intent, and initial member/developer coordination.
2. Engineering review & system impact study (est. 5 to 10 days): Includes voltage drop studies, capacity checks, and review of any upgrades or special considerations.
3. Field staking and physical design (est. 5 to 10 days): Staking Technicians visit the site and mark out the proposed design for construction.
4. Permitting, easements, billing, and inspection prep (est. 10 to 15 days): Coordination with local authorities, property owners, and internal teams to file required documents.
5. Material procurement (est. 10 to 15 days): If needed materials are not currently in inventory, this timeframe includes sourcing and receiving them—subject to vendor availability and lead times. Any significant delays due to material shortages will extend the 60-day window, and we’ll communicate that clearly when it happens.
6. Processing of aid-to-construction payments (est. 3 to 5 days): Payments must be received, verified, and recorded before scheduling can begin.
7. Utility locates and pre-construction (est. 5 to 10 days): 811 locates must be called in and honored before construction can proceed.
8. Scheduling construction and coordination (est. 10 to 15 days): Jobs are slotted based on crew or contractor availability, and any required specialty work (boring, metering, etc.) is coordinated here.

We will always strive to complete work ahead of schedule when possible. Likewise, there may be times when external factors, such as weather, vendor delays, permit hold-ups, or complex engineering needs, may cause projects to take longer than 60 days. If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch with our office at (800) 686-2357 or email Member Services.