Need advice navigating a dispute with ComEd

[Brian Morrison]

I own a legal 4-unit building in Chicago, recently purchased. We went into this deal knowing that there was electrical work to do, and budgeted appropriately. The work involved replacing all the old meter fittings (won't fit new smart meters) and installing new panels inside. We were also aware that the drop from the pole to the house had to be relocated (too close to a window), which was fairly easily done - although ComEd will actually do the physical work of putting the new drop onto our new attachment point. A 4-unit building requires 5 electric meters - one for each unit, as well as a public meter. The building was previously configured with 4, so we added a fifth meter and this is where it gets interesting. There is a logistical problem physically fitting a 5-meter fitting on the outside of the building, so the city inspector approved my electrician's plan to use a 4-meter box combined with a single meter box. 

All seemed well until ComEd came out to inspect (which was necessary before they put in a new drop and new meters) - the inspector tells me that they require a 5-meter fitting. There are 2 problems with this - the issue that, physically fitting that there is going to be next to impossible (read: expensive), and the fact that actually doing that would require re-doing much of the work that has already been done (again, at large expense). 

My electrician says he's never seen this kind of problem before, and I can tell that he has no idea how to handle this. ComEd isn't helpful either, when I call them - it's pretty much what their inspector says, is law. I should also note that we're currently under a 30-day shutoff order; as soon as ComEd saw the old drop, they gave notice. Even though we have installed what they want on that end, I don't have much confidence that the shutoff threat has completely abated, because there are still open issues. So time is of the essence.

There appears to be no way to appeal this, that I can find. Has anyone experienced anything like this, and how did you solve it? Again, this is an issue with ComEd, and not the city. The city would be fine with us doing the 5-meter box as ComEd wants, but that's going to cost a lot of money and I can't help but feel there must be a better option to get them to go along with the work that's already been done and approved by the city.