Quick answer: Passing inspection is a big milestone, but it’s not the finish line. Before we can schedule your **startup appointment** and turn your generator on, there’s one more step — and it’s the one part of the process that’s on you: calling your gas utility to schedule a meter upgrade. Here’s exactly what happens, in order, and why this last step depends on you.
What Happens After Your Generator Is Installed
1. Final inspections
Depending on your parish, your installation may need a separate **final electrical inspection** and a separate **final gas inspection** — the gas inspection requires one of our technicians on site. Both have to pass before you move to the next step. If you’ve only heard about one so far, that doesn’t mean anything’s wrong — it just means the other hasn’t happened yet.
2. Your inspection results are filed with your parish
Once everything passes, the results get filed and your permit moves toward close-out.
3. You call your gas utility to schedule a meter upgrade
In most of our service area that’s **Atmos Energy**. If you’re not sure who your gas provider is, your project coordinator can confirm it for you. This is your **gas** utility, not your electric utility (Entergy) — Entergy handles power reconnection separately, and our office coordinates that side directly with them.
This part has to come from you.** As the account holder, you’ll get faster scheduling calling directly than going through a third party. If you’d rather we make the call for you, just ask your coordinator — we’re glad to help coordinate it directly with the utility when needed.
> **A note on timing:** the gas company’s own scheduling for this visit can take **up to two to three weeks**, depending on their workload in your area. This step is largely out of our hands, the same way parish permit timing was earlier in your project.
4. Let us know once it’s scheduled
Once you have a date from the gas company, call our office back with it.
5. We schedule your startup appointment
Once your gas meter upgrade is complete, we’ll get you on the schedule — generally **within about a week**. This is your final walkthrough: we power everything on, test it under load, and make sure you know how to run your system.
What to Expect When the Gas Company Comes Out
This is usually a routine visit, but a couple of things are worth knowing ahead of time:
– The technician may have questions about parts of the installation — for example, where a regulator is placed. That’s normal. If they have a question about our work, have them (or you) give our office a call and we’ll sort it out directly with them.
– Occasionally the technician finds something that needs a quick correction before the upgrade can be completed. If that happens, call us right away and we’ll get someone out to handle it.
*If your generator runs on propane instead of natural gas, this step can work differently — ask your coordinator whether it applies to your system.*
Why Does This Last Step Fall on Me?
Every other step in this process — permitting, inspections, scheduling our crews — we handle from our end. The gas meter upgrade is the one exception, because it’s a visit the utility schedules directly with the account holder. The good news: it’s a single phone call, and once it’s on the books, everything else moves quickly.
If you’re on a deadline — hurricane season is the one we hear about most — don’t wait on a callback from us. **As soon as your inspections pass, call your gas utility that same day.** The sooner you call, the sooner your spot is on their schedule. And you can always call our office in the meantime if you have questions about where things stand.
Quick Questions About This Step
Do all parishes handle inspections the same way?
Not exactly. For example, St. Charles Parish typically completes all three required inspections in a single visit rather than scheduling them separately. Ask your coordinator what to expect for your specific parish.
My inspection didn’t pass — the inspector flagged a placement or clearance issue. Is that the same thing?
No — that’s a different situation. A placement or clearance issue means something has to be physically adjusted before you can pass inspection at all, and it happens *before* you’d ever reach the gas-meter step above. Your coordinator can walk you through what a placement correction involves.
What if I don’t hear back after I call the gas company?
Call our office. We track open jobs at this stage and can help you follow up.
Is there anything I need to do to prepare for the gas company’s visit?
Just make sure someone’s available if they need access to your property. Your coordinator will let you know if anything else is needed for your specific job.