200 Amp Side Lug Meter Base - Question

[Dennis Peacock]

My power company is requiring me to run a new service to my house due to the new construction location. They now require a "Side Lug" meter base. My question is this: What makes a side lug meter base different than a standard old meter base? Way back in my day of being an electrician we just bought and installed a meter base where the utility company pulled the wire inside the 3" PVC conduit we had to run and bury with a pull string in the pipe. The meter base had the power company coming in and tying in to the neutral lug and the 2 top hot lugs. The house was fed from the 2 bottom hot lugs and the central mounted neutral.

I'm just trying to find out how special a Side Lug meter base is.

[Matt Marsh]

Dennis,

At least what I term as a side lug meter socket, is one that has short busses from the line side meter terminals to the side of the actual meter socket, so that the line conductors can go straight into the lugs without bending.

sidelug.jpg