FULL INSTALLATION SERVICES
Panel Upgrades in Brunswick, Maine
Brunswick, Cumberland County
100 to 200-Amp Upgrades · Breaker Replacement · Code Compliance
- Google reviews
- Licensed & insured
- Since 2019
Efficiency Maine Registered Vendor- 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
Current offers & financing
See all coupons →WATER HEATER SERVICES
Financing
Financing available
Finance up to 100% of your project with low monthly payments through our lending partners. Quick approval, no prepayment penalty.
Panel Upgrades for Brunswick Homeowners
100 to 200-Amp Upgrades
Breaker Replacement
Code Compliance
Need panel upgrades in Brunswick? Aces Highlands runs out of 508 Riverside St Unit 1 in Portland and covers Cumberland County routinely, which means a technician who already understands the area's homes and permit process shows up, not a stranger learning it on the job.
An outdated or undersized electrical panel can be a safety hazard and limit what your home can handle. Aces Highlands upgrades residential panels to meet modern demands -- from EV charger circuits to heat pump installations -- across Portland, South Portland, Scarborough, Westbrook, Gorham, and Greater Portland.
Many older homes in the Portland area still have 100-amp panels or outdated fuse boxes that cannot support modern electrical loads. We upgrade panels to 200-amp service, replace Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels, and install new breaker panels that meet current electrical codes. A 200-amp service is the standard for today's homes -- it gives you the headroom to run an EV charger, a heat pump, central air, and an electric range all at once without nuisance trips or overheating.
There are clear signs you have outgrown your panel: breakers that trip often, lights that flicker when an appliance kicks on, a fuse box instead of breakers, or no open slots left to add a circuit. Federal Pacific (FPE Stab-Lok) and Zinsco panels are a special concern -- their breakers are known to fail to trip during a fault, which is a real fire risk, and many home insurers in Maine now require them to be replaced. If your panel is warm to the touch, rusted, or has scorch marks, treat it as urgent.
A panel upgrade is often required before adding major appliances, EV chargers, heat pump installations, or finishing a basement. We handle the full scope -- pulling the permit, coordinating the service disconnect and reconnect with Central Maine Power, installing the new panel and meter base, transferring every circuit, and scheduling the municipal inspection. A typical 100-to-200-amp upgrade is a one-day job, and we keep your downtime to a few hours.
Every panel upgrade is performed by a Maine-licensed electrician and includes proper grounding, bonding, surge consideration, and clear circuit labeling. We test all circuits before we leave and walk you through your new panel so you know where everything is. While the panel is open, it is also the right time to address any outdated wiring in your home. Financing is available, and every estimate is free -- contact us to schedule.
Why Brunswick Calls Aces Highlands
- Cumberland County is our backyard, and Brunswick is on that route every week
- We tell you what is actually wrong and what it costs, plainly, every time
- Most requests land a visit within days, not the following month
- Licensed and insured — neighbors in Brunswick leave us reviews on Google
Brunswick Homes and What They Need
Brunswick has the most mixed housing in this part of the coast. Census estimates count about 9,500 homes with a median build year of 1982; roughly 20 percent were built before 1940 and nearly half before 1980. Only about half are detached single-family houses, since the town also has apartments, college housing and mobile homes, about one in eight units. The Federal and Victorian streets near Bowdoin and downtown are the oldest, while the McKeen Street neighbourhood, built for Navy families in the 1950s and 60s, was sold off as some 230 homes after the air station closed. Each era brings its own wiring: knob-and-tube and fuse boxes can still turn up in the old core, and base houses carry services sized for 1950s loads. A panel upgrade in a Brunswick home is often needed before adding heat pumps or an EV charger.
Power, Storms and Wiring in Brunswick
Most of Brunswick buys power from Central Maine Power, but Brunswick Landing is different: the former naval air station runs its own electric grid, about 17 miles of lines the Navy built, operated by the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, which pays CMP to deliver power to it and adds on-site solar and battery storage. Elsewhere in town, shoreline neighbourhoods on the bays catch the wind in coastal nor'easters like the ones in 2017 and 2023. Brunswick has a large work-from-home population, around one in five workers, and about a third of commuters drive 30 minutes or more each way, which suits overnight charging at home. A home EV charger in Brunswick usually makes sense on a panel that has room for a dedicated 240-volt circuit.
Getting to Know Brunswick
Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, chartered in 1794 as Maine's first college. Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote "Uncle Tom's Cabin" while living on Federal Street in 1851, and Joshua Chamberlain — the Bowdoin professor turned Civil War hero who accepted the Confederate infantry's surrender at Appomattox — later served as Maine's governor and Bowdoin's president. The former Naval Air Station is now Brunswick Landing, one of Maine's largest business and technology campuses.
Brunswick's Federal-era and Victorian homes around the college are beautiful — and demanding. Panel upgrades, careful rewiring, and heating systems that respect historic construction are everyday work for our crew here.
Local & Independent — Not a Franchise
Aces Highlands is a locally owned Portland, Maine company serving Brunswick — not a national franchise. Nobody on our crew works on commission, so there is no incentive to sell you more than the job needs. We show up, fix the actual problem, and let the work speak for itself.
How Your Electrical Panel Works
- Meter — measures the power the utility delivers
- Main breaker — the single shutoff for the whole panel
- Branch breakers — one per circuit, trip on overload or a fault
- Neutral / ground bus — the common return and safety path
- Panel capacity — how much headroom is left for new circuits
Homeowner Guide
Panel Upgrades: What Southern Maine Homeowners Should Know
Most electrical panel calls we get start the same way: a homeowner wants an EV charger, a heat pump, or a hot tub, and the panel that came with the house has nothing left to give. Here's the background we'd want you to have before that conversation with an electrician.
Read the Full GuideMore Electrical Services
Panel Upgrades is part of our full electrical services lineup. Explore the details or browse everything we offer in Brunswick.
Panel Upgrades DetailsAll Services in BrunswickService Info
Codes & Permits for Panel Upgrades in Brunswick
Electrical work in Brunswick is licensed and permitted under Maine's Electricians' Examining Board, which adopted the 2026 National Electrical Code effective July 1, 2026. Brunswick's Planning & Codes Office (85 Union Street) issues electrical permits directly; its permits page states "An Electrical Permit is required whenever electrical work is done. A licensed State of Maine Electrician must do the work unless it is completed by the homeowner occupying the building," confirming local administration under 32 M.R.S. ch. 17 (no individual inspector named on the page). Brunswick's housing stock is comparatively newer than Portland's or South Portland's — median year built 1982, with only ~19.5% of homes built in 1939 or earlier (ACS 2020–2024 via Census Reporter).
- Maine's 2026 NEC amendments in Chapter 120 do not touch NEC Article 230.67 (the national requirement for surge-protective devices on new or replaced dwelling-unit services) or Article 220 (the standard load-calculation methods); both apply in Maine exactly as published in the 2026 NEC. maine.gov
- Chapter 120 does amend NEC 230.4(E): where a building is supplied by more than one service (or a combination of branch circuits, feeders and services), Maine requires 'a permanent plaque or directory' at each service disconnect location and each outside meter location identifying all other services/feeders/branch circuits and the area each one serves. maine.gov
- Buxton's own electrical permit application fee schedule illustrates how a service change is billed at the municipal level: $50 per meter for permanent service up to 200 amps, and $50 per additional 200-amp meter above that, separate from the per-square-foot wiring fee. source
- State law: 'No electrical equipment may be installed or altered unless the person making the installation first obtains a permit from the Electricians' Examining Board, or towns/cities that have their own electrical inspector.' Exceptions to the state permit include: single-family dwellings (certification is needed on single-family dwellings, or a licensed Master electrician may verify the work); utility-company work on its own equipment; and 'minor repair work, including the replacement of lamps, fuses, lighting fixtures, switches and sockets, the installation and repair of outlets, radio and other low voltage equipment and the repair of entrance service equipment.' maine.gov
How Aces Highlands Handles Panel Upgrades in Brunswick
- A service or panel change is never "minor repair work" under Maine's permit exemption, so it always gets a full electrical permit before we open the panel.
- Because Central Maine Power (CMP) owns the service drop, we coordinate the work order and any disconnect/reconnect with them before your new panel goes live.
- The finished panel is built and inspected to the 2026 NEC, the edition Maine has required for every installation starting July 1, 2026.
A 19th-century textile mill building on the Androscoggin River, now offices and shops off Maine Street.
Street View © Google
Why homeowners choose Aces Highlands
We show up when we say
We show up on time, as promised, and complete the work with clean professionalism.
Pricing upfront, before work starts
Honest diagnostics and a clear price before any work begins — no surprises on the invoice.
Done right the first time
HVAC, plumbing and electrical done right the first time — backed by our workmanship guarantee and 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Locally owned in Portland, Maine · Serving Greater Portland and Southern Maine since 2019
Google reviews
What Electrical customers say
Susan Donegan
3 months ago
We have called Samuel for our electrical needs over the last few years and have always been impressed with professional and courteous attitude — installing extra outlets, installing new lights and ceiling fans, our whole house generator, charger for the electric car, even the hot tub!!! His price was fair, and never disappointed when work was completed.
Amanda R
2 months ago
I've had an excellent experience working with them for both electrical and HVAC work as I remodel my 1785 home. I highly recommend them.
Malina Foss
3 months ago
I can not recommend Sam and his team enough!! In a world of slow response times and cut corners they went above and beyond in every area, installing a new electrical panel for me. Their attention to detail and love of their craft truly sets them apart from the rest!
Nichole A
a year ago
Highly recommend! Cannot thank them enough for fixing my water heater. Elijah is very reliable and communicative. No hassle, no phone tag, transparent with cost and quick to repair the issue. I know who to call if I need help again!
Tom
14 Aug 2024
He was very friendly. He gave me an honest explanation on why I shouldn't recharge my A/C unit and what he suggested made much more sense. He really took care of everything. He is very professional, always called me with updates. 5 stars is not enough — I give this company 10 stars.
Jacqueline Vogeley
2 weeks ago
Great experience! Open, honest and efficient 🙌🏽 Job well done
Panel Upgrades FAQs
How long does an electrical panel upgrade take?
Most 100-to-200-amp upgrades are completed in a single day. Your power is off for a portion of that day while we swap the panel and coordinate the disconnect and reconnect with Central Maine Power — we schedule it to keep your downtime to a few hours.
Do I need a permit for a panel upgrade in Maine?
Yes. Panel and service upgrades require an electrical permit and municipal inspection. We pull the permit, schedule the inspection, and handle the utility coordination as part of every job — you do not have to manage any of it.
Why do Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels need to be replaced?
Breakers in FPE Stab-Lok and Zinsco panels have a documented history of failing to trip during a fault, which is a genuine fire hazard. Many Maine insurers now require replacement before issuing or renewing a homeowner policy. If you have one, replacement is a safety priority, not an upsell.
Do I really need 200 amps, or is that an upsell?
It depends on your loads. If you plan to add an EV charger, heat pump, or electric range, 200 amps is the practical standard. If your 100-amp service comfortably covers your actual usage and no additions are planned, we will tell you it is fine — our electricians are not commissioned salespeople.
Will a panel upgrade fix my flickering lights and tripping breakers?
Often, yes — those are classic symptoms of an overloaded or failing panel. But they can also come from a loose connection or a single overloaded circuit, which is a much smaller fix. We diagnose the actual cause first and quote you for what you need.
More Services in Brunswick
Aces Highlands handles HVAC, plumbing, and electrical for Brunswick homeowners. Here is more of what we do nearby.
Wiring & Rewiring in Brunswick
Wiring & Rewiring in BrunswickOutlet & Switch Installation in Brunswick
Outlet & Switch Installation in BrunswickLighting Installation in Brunswick
Lighting Installation in BrunswickEV Charger Installation in Brunswick
EV Charger Installation in BrunswickGenerator Installation in Brunswick
Generator Installation in BrunswickElectrical Repair & Troubleshooting in Brunswick
Electrical Repair & Troubleshooting in BrunswickNeed Panel Upgrades in Brunswick?
Call our Brunswick team or get a free quote. We will get you scheduled and take care of it right the first time.
More Ways We Can Help
Google ReviewsServices
39Aces Highlands handles the full range of home comfort work, including…
All ServicesHeat Pumps & Mini-SplitsHVAC ServicesBoilers & Hydronic HeatingFurnace Repair & InstallationResidential PlumbingWater HeatersElectrical ServicesHeat Pump InstallationHeat Pump RepairHeat Pump MaintenanceDuctless Mini-SplitsAC InstallationAC RepairBoiler InstallationBoiler RepairBoiler MaintenanceRadiant Floor HeatingFurnace InstallationFurnace RepairFurnace MaintenanceLeak Detection & RepairFixture InstallationDrain CleaningSewer Line Repair & ReplacementTank Water HeatersTankless Water HeatersWater Heater RepairPanel UpgradesWiring & RewiringOutlet & Switch InstallationLighting InstallationEV Charger InstallationGenerator InstallationElectrical Repair & TroubleshootingEmergency ServicesEmergency Heating RepairEmergency PlumberEmergency Electrician
Service Areas
48We bring the same dependable service to nearby towns, such as…
Portland, MaineSouth Portland, MaineScarborough, MaineWestbrook, MaineGorham, MaineFalmouth, MaineCape Elizabeth, MaineCumberland, MaineWindham, MaineStandish, MaineGray, MaineNew Gloucester, MaineRaymond, MaineNorth Yarmouth, MaineYarmouth, MaineFreeport, MainePownal, MaineBridgton, MaineBrunswick, MaineHarpswell, MaineAugusta, MaineWinthrop, MaineGardiner, MaineHallowell, MaineTopsham, MaineBath, MaineLewiston, MaineAuburn, MaineLisbon, MainePoland, MaineTurner, MaineSabattus, MaineBiddeford, MaineSaco, MaineOld Orchard Beach, MaineKennebunk, MaineKennebunkport, MaineWells, MaineKittery, MaineYork, MaineBuxton, MaineWaterboro, MaineBerwick, MaineSouth Berwick, MaineEliot, MaineNorth Berwick, MaineLebanon, MaineSanford, Maine
Guides & Tips
8Dig deeper with our guides, such as…
HVAC & Plumbing BlogWhat to Do When Your Heat Goes Out in WinterWhy Your Heat Pump Is Freezing Up — and How to Fix ItTankless vs. Tank Water Heater: Which Is Best for Your Maine Home?How Much Does a Heat Pump Cost in Maine? (Plus Efficiency Maine Rebates)Heat Pump vs. Furnace: Which Is Right for Your Maine Home?5 Signs Your Boiler Needs ReplacementSigns Your Electrical Panel Needs an Upgrade
Get a Quote in Brunswick
Request Service
Fill out the form below to request an estimate or schedule service.
“*” indicates required fields
Need it today?Call (207) 670-8616