Project overview

On January 17, 2025, Touchstone Electric’s Charlotte branch completed a comprehensive 200-amp service upgrade for homeowner Kassia Atnip in Matthews, NC. Lead technician Grady Houston replaced the aging electrical infrastructure with a modern main panel and a new meter/panel combo to improve capacity, safety, and reliability.

The scope included an indoor 200A main panel replacement, a 200A over/under meter/panel combo with feed-through lugs, upgraded SEU 4/0 service entrance cable, new breakers sized for common household loads, grounding system improvements, permitting, and inspection. A whole-home surge protector was included to help safeguard the home’s electrical system.

What we installed

200A Main Panel (indoor, aluminum): Brought up to current electrical code, grounded and bonded, service entrance cable and existing circuits reconnected, and circuits clearly labeled. Includes permitting and inspection and a 20-year transferable warranty on the panel. A $10k warranty surge protector was included with the installation.
200A Meter/Panel Combo (over/under, feed-through lugs): Coordinated utility power drop, pulled permits, installed the new combo, and installed ground rods with grounding electrode conductors.
SEU 4/0, 3‑wire service cable: Upgraded service conductors from the service drop to the meter base and from the meter to the main distribution panel to support full 200A capacity.
Breakers installed: 7 × 15A standard for lighting/standard branch circuits; 3 × 20A standard for small appliances; 1 × 30A double‑pole for typical two‑pole loads; 2 × 50A standard for high‑demand appliances or subfeeds.
Grounding system: New driven ground rods (typically ~8 ft), secure grounding electrode conductor connections, and proper bonding back at the main service.

Note: This scope addressed the panel and meter/panel combo upgrade with associated grounding and conductors. Items such as the riser/weatherhead or additional feeders/conduit to remote panels were not included unless specifically listed above.

Code compliance and inspection readiness

NEC 2020 readiness: Inspectors may require certain circuits to be upgraded to AFCI protection. Adding AFCI can reveal preexisting issues (such as shared neutrals) that may require additional diagnostic time to resolve.
Labeling and documentation: The new panel directory was updated to clearly identify branch circuits.
Surge protection: Whole-home surge protection included to help reduce the risk of damage from transient voltage events.

Power interruption and generator support

During the service changeover, power was temporarily disconnected. For projects like this in Matthews, our team can make a generator available for limited power usage during the outage upon request, helping maintain essential comfort and safety.

Annual Home Safety Plan — GOLD

As part of this project, the homeowner enrolled in our GOLD Membership, which begins with a Home Safety Inspection and includes:

Panel inspection: voltage readings, bus bar condition, knockouts, and bonding
Site-testing electrical safety devices: whole-home surge protector and service disconnects
Main service inspection: meter base, incoming feeders, water intrusion, riser/weatherhead, and grounding system
Site-testing home protection systems: Smoke/CO detectors, security systems, and cameras
HVAC and major appliance disconnect checks
GFCI testing

Gold Member perks include an upgrade to a 4-year warranty on Touchstone Electric workmanship, an 8% discount on same-day work (max $500), plus $0 dispatch and $0 diagnostics.

Local results Matthews homeowners can trust

From permitting and utility coordination to clean, code-compliant installations, our Charlotte branch delivers reliable panel and service upgrades throughout Matthews, NC. After completion, Kassia Atnip praised our team with a review, reflecting our focus on safety, communication, and craftsmanship.

If you’re planning a 200A electrical panel upgrade, a meter/panel combo replacement, grounding improvements, or whole-home surge protection in Matthews, NC, Touchstone Electric is ready to help.

200A Electrical Panel Upgrade & Meter/Panel Combo in Matthews, NC