If they own it, they will determine if it needs replacing, but it may be
possible that you own it. Utility companies have tried various ownership
schemes over the years, for example in ConEdison of NY territory I've
upgraded underground services to 200 amp where the utility owed the
underground wire up to the meter and they refuse to replace their #6
conductors. They also have a rule for overhead services that they will go
120 feet from the road, if that doesn't reach your house, you must install a
private pole and furnish and maintain the overhead conductors from your pole
to your house, which may be a similar situation to what you have


wrote in message
...
On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 00:15:42 GMT, "Andy & Carol"
wrote:

I need to have my power lines replaced outside the house. They are about
60
yrs. old,
and some of the insulation is flaking off. They are going through a tree.
This is the 3 wires
that go from the meter to the pole. The power company said it will cost
$325.00 to do
the job! This is their equipment! Is this common practice today?

Andy



I assume you asked them to change the wires. They put you down as a
service upgrade.
Put it in as a service call. Tell them you saw a squirrel blow up and
they were smoking and sparking. (Got a blown up TV you can say was
destroyed in the "surge"?)
Then it is a maintenance call. They will still say "too bad" on the TV
but it takes their mind off replacing the old wire.
Around here all of the old 3 wire was replaced with triplex years ago.