Temporary Power for Construction Sites: What North Idaho Builders Need to Know

October 8, 2026 · Family-owned electricians in North Idaho

Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Getting temporary power to a North Idaho job site usually takes 1 to 3 weeks from the time you call an electrician to the day the utility energizes the pole, assuming permits go smoothly. Most of that time is permitting and utility scheduling, not the actual electrical work, which can often be done in a single day. Builders who plan for this lead time avoid the single biggest delay on new construction: waiting on power.

Key takeaways

• Temporary power usually means a temporary service pole or pedestal with a meter base, not a direct tap off the permanent service.
• Expect 1 to 3 weeks lead time between calling an electrician and getting energized power, depending on permitting and utility scheduling.
• Bonner and Kootenai county permit requirements differ slightly, and your utility provider (Avista, Kootenai Electric, or Northern Lights) has its own application and spec sheet.
• A rough cost range for a basic temp pole setup is commonly $1,200 to $3,500, not counting utility connection fees, and site conditions change this fast.
• The most common delay isn't the electrical work, it's missing paperwork or a site that isn't ready for the utility crew.

What exactly is "temporary power" on a construction site?

Temporary power is a standalone electrical service set up before the permanent building service exists. It's typically a pole or a metal pedestal with a meter base, a small breaker panel, and one or more weatherproof outlets, usually 20 or 30 amp circuits plus a 50 amp circuit for larger tools or a welder if needed. The whole assembly gets grounded, inspected, and then connected to the utility's line, either overhead or underground depending on what's available at the lot.

This is different from running an extension cord off a neighbor's garage or relying on a generator for the whole build. Lenders, inspectors, and most general contractors require a proper temp service because it's the only setup that meets code and can safely run saws, compressors, heaters, and lighting for months at a time. A generator still has its place for small jobs or very remote parcels, but anything beyond a few weeks of framing and finish work usually calls for real utility power.

In North Idaho, temp power also has to deal with winter. Heaters for curing concrete, keeping pipes from freezing, or just keeping drywall mud workable in a cold cabin draw real load. A temp panel sized only for saws and a radio will trip constantly once heaters get added in November. It's worth telling your electrician up front if the build will run through winter so the panel gets sized for that from day one.

What's the actual process and timeline?

The sequence is fairly consistent across Bonner and Kootenai counties, though the paperwork varies by jurisdiction and by which utility serves the lot.

• Electrical permit application, submitted either by the electrician or the property owner, usually processed in a few days to two weeks depending on the county's current workload.
• Utility application, filed with Avista, Kootenai Electric Cooperative, or Northern Lights Inc depending on location, requesting a new service connection point. Utilities often want 2 to 4 weeks notice, sometimes longer if new poles or transformers are needed.
• Site prep, which means a cleared, accessible spot for the temp pole, usually within a set distance of where the utility's line already runs.
• Installation, typically a one-day job for a straightforward pole or pedestal setup.
• Inspection, scheduled with the county or state electrical inspector, generally available within a few days of request in season, longer during the busy spring and summer months.
• Utility connection, where the power company actually energizes the line, which can take anywhere from same-day to a week or two after passed inspection depending on their crew schedule.

The honest range for the whole process, start to finish, is 1 to 3 weeks under normal conditions. It stretches to 4 to 6 weeks if the lot needs a new transformer, a long line extension, or if it's during peak building season when both inspectors and utility crews are backed up. Builders who call in January for a spring groundbreak are in much better shape than ones who call the week they want to start framing.

What commonly goes wrong

The single biggest timeline killer isn't the electrical install, it's a mismatch between what the utility expects and what's actually at the site. A few patterns show up again and again:

The access road or driveway isn't finished enough for a utility bucket truck to reach the planned pole location, so the crew reschedules for weeks out. On steep or heavily wooded Bonner County parcels, this is one of the most common holdups, and it's avoidable if the rough driveway gets cut before the utility is asked to show up.

Another frequent issue is ordering the wrong size service. A builder assumes a small 100 amp temp setup is fine, then halfway through the project adds an electric heater, a plasma cutter, or a second trailer, and the panel can't handle it. Resizing mid-project means another permit, another inspection, and more wait time. It's cheaper to ask for a slightly larger service up front if there's any chance the load will grow.

Permits also get held up when the property owner and the electrical contractor aren't clearly identified as the same applicant, or when the parcel doesn't have a clear address or lot number yet in a brand new subdivision. County offices need a way to tie the permit to a specific location, and new developments sometimes lag behind on assigning addresses.

Finally, people underestimate how different utility providers are. A setup that goes smoothly with Kootenai Electric Cooperative might have a different application form, different spec sheet, and different lead time than the same request to Avista in a different part of the county. Always confirm which utility actually serves the specific parcel before assuming the process.

What does it cost?

Costs vary enough by site conditions that any number should be treated as a rough range, not a quote. For a straightforward temp pole with a 100 or 200 amp panel, a few GFCI-protected outlets, and a short run of overhead service wire, a reasonable ballpark is $1,200 to $3,500 for the electrical contractor's labor and materials. That doesn't include the utility's own connection fee, which is billed separately and varies by provider, typically somewhere in the low hundreds to over a thousand dollars depending on how far the line has to run and whether new poles or transformers are involved.

Sites that need underground service, a long trench, rock excavation, or a brand new transformer can run well above that range. It's common for rural parcels with no nearby utility infrastructure to see costs several times higher than a simple in-town lot. If the budget is tight, it's worth asking the electrician for a written estimate that separates their labor from the utility's connection charges, since those two bills usually arrive at different times from different entities.

One cost that's easy to miss: monthly usage charges on the temp service itself. It's still a metered account, and running heaters or a generator-sized load through the winter adds up. Builders sometimes budget for the install but forget the service stays live, and billed, for the whole construction period.

FAQ

Can I just run a generator instead of temp power?

For very short jobs, a weekend of work, or a site with no nearby utility line, a generator can work. For anything running more than a few weeks, especially through a North Idaho winter with heaters in the mix, a generator gets expensive in fuel and maintenance fast, and most lenders and GCs will ask for proper temp service anyway.

Do I need a permit for temporary power, or just for the permanent service?

Both need permits in Bonner and Kootenai counties. Temporary service is still a real electrical installation and gets inspected before the utility will energize it. Skipping this step is one of the fastest ways to get a stop-work order.

Can the same temp panel later become part of the permanent service?

Sometimes parts of it, like conduit or a meter base, get reused, but the temp pole itself is almost always removed once the permanent service is energized and the building has its own panel. Plan for it as a separate, short-term installation rather than a first phase of the final system.

Planning ahead saves the schedule

The electrical work for temp power is rarely the bottleneck. The permitting and utility scheduling is. Builders who call a few weeks before they need power, confirm which utility serves the parcel, and make sure the access road is passable before the crew shows up tend to stay on schedule. Those who wait until the week framing starts are the ones calling every day asking why the pole still isn't energized. Sageland Electric handles temp power setups across Bonner and Kootenai counties and can tell you early on what your specific lot and utility provider will require, which is usually the fastest way to avoid a schedule gap later.