official seal of wantage township

Wantage Township New Jersey


888 State Highway 23
973-875-7192
administrator@wantagetwp-nj.org


Ownership Guidelines for Your Home's Electrical System

Who Owns What?

When your home's exterior electrical system is damaged, it is important to understand which components are the responsibility of your electricity provider and which are yours.

Electricity Provider Responsibility

If you receive overhead electric service, the service provider is responsible for the following components:

  1. Service Drop
    The wires running from the utility pole to your home.
  2. Electric Meter
    Measures your electricity use in kilowatt hours.

Homeowner's Responsibility

You own and are responsible for repairing the following:

  1. Weatherhead and Insulator
    This is the point where our electric lines connect to your home.
  2. Service Entrance cable
    The wire that extends from your weatherhead to the meter and from the meter to your fuse box or circuit breaker box.
  3. Meter Base
    Your meter is mounted in this box.
  4. Fuse Box or Circuit Breaker Box
    This is the main service panel that houses your fuses or circuit breakers
  5. Household Wiring
    The interior wiring that distributes electricity through your home.

Diagram of Outside Electrical Service

diagram of the electic service outside the house. 3. Weatherhead and Insulator. 1. Service Drop (wire running from power pole to house). 2. Electric Meter. 5. Meter Base (box that holds the meter). 4. Service entrance cable (pipe that houses the electric cable from the weatherhead to the meter to the service panel inside the house).

3. Weatherhead and Insulator

1. Service Drop (wire running from power pole to house)

2. Electric Meter

5. Meter Base (box that holds the meter)

4. Service entrance cable (pipe that houses the electric cable from the weatherhead to the meter to the service panel inside the house)

Diagram of Inside Electrical Service

diagram of the electic service inside the house. 4. Service entrance cable, 6. Fuse box or circuit breaker, 7. Household wiring

4. Service entrance cable (continuing from outside)

6. Fuse box or circuit breaker

7. Household wiring


As a customer, it is also your responsibility to maintain open access to the meter and keep obstructions away from power lines that extend from the utility pole to your home. If trees on your property grow near power lines, don't prune or remove them yourself. Consult with a tree contractor who is qualified to work around electric equipment.

For more information, contact your electric utility:
Sussex Rural Electric Cooperative : sussexrec.com
FirstEnergy : firstenergycorp.com