Smart Meter Wiring

[Jerry Simon]

Wires are tapped off line-side of main disconnect circuit breaker lugs.  I could not determine where these wires ran to.  Here's what I wrote in my report:  

"Safety Concern  Inside the main electrical panelboard, wiring circuits are dangerously tapped-off the main service entrance cable lugs, and this poses a shock hazard.  Should the main disconnect circuit breaker be turned-off, this wiring would remain dangerously energized.  An electrician should re-wire as needed to eliminate this hazard."

Electrician who checked it said CommonWealth Edison, our local electrical supplier, did this in relation to their new *Smart Meter* installation.  Electrician agrees it's odd and he's never seen this, but says there isn't anything he can do to correct such, and to contact ComEd.

Is this something anyone else has seen, or any comments about this?   Wires (black & white) can be seen in attached picture.

 

Edited June 7, 2020 by Jerry Simon

[Marc]

Taps on the SE cables are permitted under certain conditions.  I don't know if this one is permitted.  I would not rest my laurels believing that if the utility did it, it must be OK, not if it's inside my doggone panel.

[Jim Katen]

Something is wrong with that explanation. Smart meters don't need to tap the main lugs in a service panel. They're already attached to the SECs inside the meter base. There's nothing more that the meter can learn from tapping the main lugs. Especially not with copper wires mixed with aluminum wires in lugs not listed for that. 

I'd tell the utility to keep their grubby wires out of my panel. 

Those are some interesting parallel SECs. What kind of building is this?