A temporary power pole gives a construction site legal, metered electricity before permanent service goes in, typically built around a 200 amp panel mounted on a treated pole. Elk Grove Porta Pros coordinates delivery and placement so your site passes inspection the first time, alongside temporary lighting and portable toilets already on site.
It's a freestanding pole, usually wood, with a meter base, breaker panel and outlets mounted at code height, wired to pull utility power to a job site before the building has permanent electrical. Most construction sites in Elk Grove run a 200 amp temporary power pole to handle saws, compressors, lighting and trailers all at once. The utility company sets the meter; an electrician wires the panel and grounds the pole. Elk Grove Porta Pros does not sell or install the pole itself, but we schedule it alongside everything else that shows up on the same lot: a mobile office trailer, a storage container for tools, and a roll-off dumpster for debris. If your crew is also running a handwashing station that needs its own draw, mention it up front so the panel gets sized right the first time. Sites with mixed trades often need GFCI protection under OSHA 1926.404(b)(1)(ii) on every temporary circuit feeding hand tools, which affects how the panel gets laid out.
Installation starts with a diagram. The utility company and the electrical inspector both want to see pole height, meter placement, grounding rod location and clearance from the structure before anyone digs. A typical temporary power pole installation runs a treated 4x4 or 6x6 post set several feet into the ground, with the panel mounted between 4 and 6 feet off grade so it's reachable but out of standing water. Site housekeeping matters here too: OSHA 1926.25 requires scrap and debris cleared from work areas, and a pole surrounded by lumber cutoffs and packaging is the kind of thing that stalls a walk-through. If the pole sits near foot traffic, pair it with temporary fencing or crowd control barriers to keep people clear of the panel. Night work adds another wrinkle. OSHA 1926.56(a) sets minimum lighting levels for active construction areas, so a lot of crews add a light tower near the power pole so both the panel and the walkway stay visible after dark.
Cost depends on pole height, amperage and how far the utility has to run a line, and we do not sell the poles ourselves, so exact pricing comes from the electrician or utility company, not this page. What we can tell you is how it fits with everything else you're renting for the same job. A 10 yard dumpster for site debris runs in the range on our dumpster rental cost page, and a standard portable toilet for the crew is covered on our porta potty rental cost page. Budgeting the whole site at once, rather than piece by piece, is usually what saves money.
| item | day | week | month |
|---|---|---|---|
| standard toilet | $150 typical | $200 typical | $200 typical |
| 10 yard dumpster | $75 typical | $600 typical | -- |
| temp fence panel | $50 typical | -- | -- |
Elk Grove sites in Franklin, about 6.9 miles southwest, and Galt, 12.3 miles southeast, both fall inside our normal delivery radius, so pole coordination and equipment drop-off can usually happen the same week.
Most installations take one to two days once the utility approves the diagram, though scheduling with the utility company can add a week or more. Elk Grove Porta Pros times toilet, fencing and dumpster delivery to land the same week as the pole so the site opens ready to work.
Almost certainly, but permit rules vary by jurisdiction and aren't something to guess at. Confirm requirements with the city before scheduling. See our dumpster permit requirements page for how we handle permit questions on other equipment we place.
A 200 amp temporary power pole covers most residential and light commercial builds; bigger commercial jobs may need higher service. An electrician sizes it based on your equipment load, not square footage alone.
Elk Grove Porta Pros handles the portable toilets, dumpsters, fencing and storage; we coordinate scheduling around your power pole install rather than installing the pole ourselves. Check our construction site services page for the full list.
Start with the how many porta potties do I need guide and our construction site services page, then call so we can line up delivery around your power pole timeline.
Yes. Elk Grove Porta Pros delivers temporary power pole across Elk Grove and the surrounding metro, with same-day and next-day drop-off available on most orders.
Pricing depends on the unit and how long you need it. See our cost breakdown and request a free quote for an exact figure.
Standard rentals include scheduled service — a pump-out, a clean, a restock and fresh deodorizer. Busy or hot-weather sites can be serviced more often.
Call now or request a free quote — clean units, on-time delivery, transparent pricing.
