Sherman Oaks, CA · May – July 2022 · LADWP / LADBS
The three photographs LADWP needed before the meter.
A 5.8 kilowatt system on a newly built Sherman Oaks house. The installation and final inspection were complete. What stood between the system and its meter was a specific piece of evidence the utility needed of the new service.
For this new Sherman Oaks service, LADWP requested three photographs: the meter number, the meter-panel workspace and the weather head. When the utility said the images were not attached, we resent them and the field order was issued that day.
At a glance
- System
- 5.8 kW AC-CEC
- Building
- New two-story house
- Service
- New meter panel
- Required evidence
- Three service photographs
- Photographs
- Meter number, workspace, weather head
- Resolution
- Resent after receipt check
- Outcome
- Field order issued the same day
- Utility / AHJ
- LADWP / LADBS
The story
The house was new — the old one demolished in 2021, a two-story replacement with an attached garage, fire sprinklers throughout, a recreation room and a pool. The solar went on the composition shingle across several roof planes: 5.8 kilowatts AC-CEC on Enphase equipment.
The interconnection application went in on 13 May 2022. A week later the utility wrote with a specific request. Once the new meter panel was in and a meter was in place, it needed three photographs before it would process the solar request: the meter number, the meter panel workspace, and the weather head. It even attached a file of sample photographs showing what each one should look like.
We took all three and sent them on 17 June. On 29 June we wrote again, asking the utility to confirm they had been received. The reply came the next morning and it was one line: there are no pictures attached.
We resent them the same day. And the same day — 30 June — the interconnection request was recorded as received and under review, the site assessment was completed, the application was confirmed with all details, and the representative wrote back: the field order has been sent.
The meter was set on 18 July, and the owner had the project documents for their records the following day.
There is nothing clever about any of this. The useful part is knowing that the step exists, knowing exactly which three photographs the utility wants and what each one has to show, and asking for confirmation of receipt rather than treating silence as review.
How it ran
| 20 May 2022 | LADWP requests three photographs of the new service |
|---|---|
| 17 June 2022 | Photographs submitted |
| 29 June 2022 | Receipt confirmation requested |
| 30 June 2022 | LADWP reports no photographs attached |
| 30 June 2022 | Photographs resent; field order issued |
| 18 July 2022 | Net meter set |
These dates cover the service-photograph step and the field order that followed it.
What we did
- Installed the array across several planes of the new composition shingle roof.
- Took the three photographs the utility specified once the meter panel was in place.
- Followed up when the project stopped moving rather than waiting on a notification.
- Resent the photographs the day the utility said they had not arrived.
- Carried the project through the field order to the net meter.
- Sent the owner the project documents for their records once the system was on.
System specifications
| System | 5.8 kW AC-CEC |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | Enphase |
| Roof | Composition shingle, modules across several planes |
| Building | New two-story single-family house with attached garage |
| Service | New meter panel on a new service |
| Battery | None |
| Utility / AHJ | LADWP / LADBS |
Is your project like this one?
- You are waiting on the utility and have no idea what it is waiting for.
- Your house is new, so the meter panel and service are new too.
- Somebody sent something to the utility and nobody confirmed it arrived.
- You want to know what happens after the system is switched on.
- Your Sherman Oaks property is served by LADWP, while permits are handled by LADBS.
Cali Energy in Sherman Oaks
Sherman Oaks is inside City of Los Angeles boundaries: permits run through LADBS, interconnection through LADWP.
This newly built house had a new meter panel and a new service, and the utility wanted to see both before it would set a solar meter on them.
This installation is on the Sherman Oaks projects page alongside the others, and what the work covers is set out on the Sherman Oaks service area page.
- License and classifications: CSLB #1032379
- Official reference for this process: LADWP interconnection process
Frequently asked questions
What photographs does LADWP ask for before setting a solar meter?
On this project, three: the meter number, the meter panel workspace and the weather head. The utility sent a sample file showing what each one should look like. They were requested once the new meter panel was installed and a meter was in place.
What happens if the utility does not have what you sent?
On this project the status did not advance until we asked the utility to confirm receipt. The photographs were sent on 17 June; the reply on 30 June was that no pictures were attached. They were resent that day and the field order went out the same day. Asking for confirmation is what surfaced it.
Why did LADWP need photographs of the new service?
On this project LADWP used three photographs to verify the meter number, clear working space around the panel and the weather head before issuing the field order. The utility sent a sample file showing what each shot had to show.
What happens after the meter goes in?
The system is switched on and the owner gets the project documents for their records — on this project that went out the day after the meter was set. Monitoring is handed over at the same time, so production can be watched from the first day the system runs.
What this would look like on your roof
Every number on this page came off a real job in Sherman Oaks, CA — not a brochure. Tell us your utility, your roof and what your bill looks like now, and we will model your own version of it before you commit to anything.
Or call +1 (323) 844-7777 · Cali Energy, Northridge · CSLB #1032379 (B, C-10, C-39) — design, permits, install and electrical under one licensed contractor.
Related
This timeline reflects this property and this permitting path. Updated September 2026.