Got a Letter from Xcel Energy?
Your overhead line can go underground — at no cost from Xcel, for a limited time. We’re the local crew that does the homeowner’s side.
Xcel is moving your neighborhood’s overhead lines underground — but here’s the part most letters don’t spell out: the wire from the pole to your house (your service) isn’t converted automatically. That part is on the homeowner. We’re the company that does that conversion — and the easiest, cheapest time to do it is right now, while Xcel’s crews are already in your neighborhood. Wait until they pull out and you could be the one house still hanging onto an overhead drop, paying far more to do it later as a one-off.
Why homeowners move underground
How your conversion works — with Xcel
That new 200A meter-main also leaves room for an EV charger, hot tub, heat pump, or solar later — without redoing everything. Do it once, do it right.
What your side of the conversion costs
| Your electrical work (Three Rivers Electric) | Typical price* |
|---|---|
| Meter-main upgrade (weatherhead to new meter/main) | ~$4,400 |
| Meter-main + new main service panel (MSP) | ~$8,514 |
*From our own approved conversion bids. When Xcel initiates your conversion, Xcel buries the service line at no cost — you pay only for the electrical work on the house side. For a homeowner-initiated conversion, add Xcel's utility fees (about $700 base plus roughly $28 per foot of cable and $200 per pole). Many service upgrades also qualify for up to a $1,500 Xcel rebate. We give a firm written quote after a free on-site assessment.
Overhead-to-underground: common questions
How much does it cost to convert overhead power to underground in Minnesota?
It depends on whether Xcel or you initiate the conversion. When Xcel initiates it (the letter you received), Xcel buries the service line at no cost to you and you pay only for the electrical work on the house side — about $4,400 for a meter-main upgrade, or about $8,514 if you also need a new main service panel. For a homeowner-initiated conversion, add Xcel's utility fees (roughly $700 base plus about $28 per foot of cable and $200 per pole). Many service upgrades also qualify for up to a $1,500 Xcel rebate.
Who pays for the line from the pole to the house — me or Xcel?
Xcel owns and installs the underground service line from the pole up to your meter, and in an Xcel-initiated conversion buries it at no cost. You (through your licensed electrician) own and pay for everything on the house side: the meter socket / meter-main and, if needed, the main service panel. Three Rivers Electric handles that work and coordinates the hand-off with Xcel.
Do I need a permit and a licensed electrician to go underground?
Yes. In Minnesota, Xcel will not connect an underground service without a licensed electrician upgrading the meter socket to spec and providing inspection approval, and the work requires an electrical permit. You can help by clearing the trench path, but the meter-main and panel work must be done by a licensed electrical contractor. Three Rivers Electric pulls the permit and does the licensed work.
How long does an overhead-to-underground conversion take?
Most conversions take a few weeks end to end. Xcel schedules the burial and any road-crossing permits (which can add several weeks), while the electrical meter-main work itself is typically completed in a day. We coordinate our part around Xcel's timeline so your power is down as briefly as possible.
Is it worth burying my overhead power line?
For many Minnesota homes, yes — underground service is far less vulnerable to the ice storms, high winds, and falling limbs that cause outages here, removes the overhead wires for a cleaner look, and ends tree-trimming conflicts. If Xcel has offered to bury your line, doing the electrical upgrade now while the burial is free is much cheaper than a private conversion later.
Book your free, no-obligation assessment
Answer 4 quick questions and we’ll come out, look at your service, and give you an exact number — no pressure either way. We’re scheduling these while we’re in your area.
Serving the Twin Cities Metro and surrounding areas. Not affiliated with Xcel Energy.
