In short
- According to Hydro-Québec, the service follows the street line: overhead if it’s overhead, underground if it’s underground.
- If the line is overhead and you want an underground service, it’s at your expense, connected to a pole by agreement.
- The trench and conduits on your lot are at your expense, at installation and at replacement.
- In Sherbrooke, Hydro-Sherbrooke connects within 7 business days in a normal situation, after the subscription and the work declaration.
- Only a master electrician who is a CMEQ member does the electrical installation work and declares it to the utility.
In this guide
The overhead service
The utility’s cable runs from the pole to a mast fixed to the house, then down to the meter base and the panel. The Code and the utility set the clearances to respect above the ground, roofs and driveways.
- Simpler and generally less expensive to install.
- Visible, and exposed to branches, freezing rain and trucks that are too tall.
- The mast and cable wear out: they are often replaced along with a panel.
The underground service
The cable runs through buried conduits, from the utility’s network to the meter base. On a street where the network is already underground, it’s often the only option; elsewhere, it starts at a pole.
- Nothing visible, no branches to watch.
- A trench to dig, conduits to lay and inspect, and coordination with the utility on who digs what and how far.
- More work up front, but a service that stays put.
What Hydro-Québec’s Conditions of Service provide
The Conditions of Service in force since October 1, 2026 set out who supplies what:
| Situation | What Hydro-Québec supplies | What’s at your expense |
|---|---|---|
| Overhead line, overhead service | A service drop up to 30 m, with the equipment and supports | Clearing, if needed |
| Underground line, underground service | Up to 30 m of conductors, the first cable section and the equipment | The civil works: trench, conduits |
| Overhead line, underground service wanted | A connection point on a pole, where technically possible, by agreement | The whole service up to the pole, and the work if the pole changes |
- The civil works on your property are at your expense, at installation and at any replacement, and you’re responsible for their maintenance and upgrades.
- They must be built so the utility can install, connect and maintain its equipment safely.
What weighs in the choice
- What the utility offers on your street: overhead or underground network, technical requirements.
- The lot: rock, fill, existing paving, distance to the pole.
- The schedule: a trench is dug before landscaping, not after.
- Looks and peace of mind: underground wins, at a cost.
Who does what
According to Hydro-Québec:
- you hire an electrical contractor and pay the applicable fees;
- the contractor, a CMEQ member, assesses and carries out the work to be done before Hydro-Québec’s, and warns you of any fees that may apply;
- Hydro-Québec assesses the scope and cost of its work and installs the metering equipment.
In Sherbrooke: Hydro-Sherbrooke
Part of Sherbrooke is served by Hydro-Sherbrooke; see Hydro-Sherbrooke or Hydro-Québec?. Its process:
- You submit the subscription request at least seven business days before the date you want, with the exact address, clearly visible on the house.
- The master electrician sends the work declaration as soon as the installation is compliant and ready for power; above 200 A, they also send a description of the loads.
- Hydro-Sherbrooke connects within seven business days of the request and the declaration, in a normal situation.
What we coordinate for you
The supply request to the utility, as soon as the plans are ready, because its timelines don’t depend on us; the utility’s requirements for the mast or conduits; the shutoff and reconnection when an existing service is redone.
If the service is redone along with the panel, see also Upgrading from 100 A to 200 A and, for a new house, New house: electrical planning.
With LTE Électrique
We prepare the overhead or underground service, send the request and the work declaration to the utility, Hydro-Québec or Hydro-Sherbrooke, and coordinate the shutoff and reconnection. The price is announced in advance, fixed or hourly depending on the project, and labour is guaranteed for 2 years. Send us a photo of the current service or the site plan: the estimate is free, within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I switch from an overhead to an underground service?
- Yes, if the utility allows it at your address. It takes a trench to the connection point, conduits, a new meter base and coordination for the shutoff and reconnection.
- Who digs the trench?
- It depends on the utility and the agreement: often the owner, through an excavator, following the utility’s depth and backfill requirements. We pass them on to you before the digger arrives.
- My street line is overhead, but I want an underground service: is it possible?
- Yes, at your expense. According to Hydro-Québec’s Conditions of Service, it then becomes a customer-owned service: Hydro-Québec may, where technically possible, provide a connection point on a pole, by agreement. If it later changes that pole, the work on your installation is also at your expense.
- What does Hydro-Québec include?
- According to its Conditions of Service, the basic service includes a service drop up to the connection point: overhead, up to 30 m with the equipment and supports; underground, up to 30 m of conductors, the first cable section and the necessary equipment. The civil works remain at your expense.
- Who pays for the trench and conduits?
- You do. According to Hydro-Québec, the civil works on your property, including those for an underground service, are at your expense, at installation and at any replacement, and you’re responsible for their maintenance and upgrades.
- How long to get connected in Sherbrooke?
- Hydro-Sherbrooke commits to connecting within seven business days of receiving the subscription request and the work declaration, in a normal situation: compliant installation, under 200 A, connection within 30 m of the network and a cleared corridor.
- Who sends the work declaration?
- The master electrician. At Hydro-Sherbrooke, they send it as soon as the installation is compliant and ready for power. At Hydro-Québec, only CMEQ members can carry out work on an electrical installation and send it the request.
- Do trees need to be cut?
- Sometimes. Hydro-Québec charges you for any clearing needed, and Hydro-Sherbrooke asks for a fully cleared two-metre corridor under the future connection.
Sources
- Conditions de service (en vigueur le 1er octobre 2026)PDF, Hydro-Québec, checked on October 21, 2026
- Branchement, déplacement ou prolongement du réseau, Hydro-Québec, checked on October 21, 2026
- Abonnement : planifier un raccordement électrique, Ville de Sherbrooke (Hydro-Sherbrooke), checked on October 21, 2026
About this guide
Written by LTE Électrique, a master electrician’s business in Sherbrooke (RBQ licence 5874-5597-01, CMEQ member). Every rule comes from Québec’s Construction Code or an official source, listed above with the date it was checked. French version reviewed by William Letendre, master electrician, on October 21, 2026.
About usCite this guide
To cite this guide, use its title, author and address:
“Underground or overhead service entrance: how to choose for a new house or a service to redo”, LTE Électrique, https://www.lteelectrique.com/en/guides/underground-or-overhead-service-entrance, French version reviewed by William Letendre, master electrician, on October 21, 2026.