Approach Electrical Contracting
Its generator work covers standby generators, generator installs and transfer switches, with panel upgrades from 200 to 800 amps in Victoria and Langford.
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Backup power in Victoria
Electricians for generators and transfer switches.
19 pros in Victoria
Victoria's case for backup power comes from its recent winds. In the December 2025 windstorm about 90,000 BC Hydro customers lost power, and Victoria was named among the hardest-hit areas. BC Hydro said trees and branches were more susceptible to wind damage after several years of drought. A separate BC Hydro report on the December 20 windstorm puts nearly 350,000 customers, about 80 per cent of those affected, on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. For a standby generator, that means the job is not just a machine on a pad. The City of Victoria requires an electrical permit for work that needs BC Hydro to connect or reconnect a service, and BC Hydro says a generator tied to house wiring needs a CSA-approved transfer switch and an electrical permit, with inspection by the local electrical inspector. Before you hire, ask who pulls the permit, confirm they are a registered electrical contractor, and ask for the transfer switch and inspection to be written into the quote.
Sources: Victoria News (source, opens in a new tab), BC Hydro (source, opens in a new tab)
Arta-electric Ltd.
Emergency service is offered, and the firm installs standby generators and handles panel upgrades, serving Victoria and Langford.
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Kobalt Systems
Since 2015, the firm has offered standby generator installs and panel upgrades in Victoria, and carries a 5-year warranty.
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Luminous Electrical
Transfer switches and generator inlets sit alongside standby generators and service upgrades in Victoria and Langford. Operating since 2015.
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Modern Electric inc.
Founded in 2004, it covers standby generators, generator installs and panel upgrades across Victoria and Langford, and offers a 1-year warranty.
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Peak Electrical Contracting Ltd.
Working with Generac equipment, the firm installs standby generators and transfer switches, and offers free estimates. It has been locally owned since 2021.
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RC Electric Ltd.
Generac units feature in its generator installs, alongside backup power and panel upgrades. Emergency electrical service is offered after regular hours.
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Brewis Electric Company Ltd
Operating since 1984, the company handles generator installs in Langford and Victoria.
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High Tide Energy Inc
Based in Saanichton, the company installs home battery backup systems, including Tesla Powerwall and Kohler units, alongside solar work on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
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Lenius & Osborn Electric Ltd
Operating in Victoria since 1991, the business is family-owned, and it offers emergency service alongside standby generators and panel upgrades.
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Pacific Coast Electric
Backup generators sized for power outages are part of its work, along with panel upgrades. Service runs day and night, every day, in Victoria.
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Sasquatch Heat Pumps
Family-owned since 2015, the company does heat pump installs and electrical work, including panel upgrades, in Victoria and Langford. Heating emergencies are handled too.
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Sirco Electric
Working in Victoria since 2013, the firm installs backup generators and handles panel upgrades, and it also troubleshoots power outages.
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Yonder Light Electric Ltd.
Open every day into the evening, the firm handles panel upgrades and generator work, plus heat pumps and EV chargers in Victoria.
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Capital Electrical Systems – Langford
Generator installs and panel upgrades make up its work in Langford and Victoria, and the business has been running since 2005.
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Gorge Electrical Services
Serving Greater Victoria, the firm covers panel upgrades and generators, along with EV charger installs and renovation work.
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The Comfort Group
Open around the clock, every day, the company installs generators and handles panel upgrades in Victoria and Langford. It also works on Lennox equipment.
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Mazzei Electric
Dating from 2017, the company takes on generator installs and panel upgrades, and it also provides emergency electrical service.
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Patriot Electric Ltd.
Kohler generators are among the brands it names for this work. Financing is available, and the business has been in Victoria since 2001.
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What to know in Victoria
Technical Safety BC lists connecting permanently installed electrical equipment such as a heat pump as work needing a homeowner electrical permit. Owners of a strata or non-strata duplex, and those running a business from home, cannot get homeowner permits and must hire a licensed contractor.
Before you hire
A generator wired into your home needs an approved transfer switch, fitted under a permit, so it can’t feed power back into the lines. Plan it before you buy.
Get written quotes from at least three contractors for the same work, and check references from recent clients.
Put it in a written contract: the work, price, deposit, start and finish dates, warranty, permits and clean-up. Paying cash to skip it leaves you no recourse.
Questions about hiring in Victoria
Who can pull the electrical permit for a generator in Victoria?
The City of Victoria says permit applicants must be a registered electrical contractor or a homeowner who meets the Safety Standards Act and Electrical Safety Regulation requirements. Ask any contractor you are considering to confirm they will apply for the permit in their own name and to show you how it is listed in the quote. City of Victoria (source, opens in a new tab)
Do I need a transfer switch with a standby generator?
BC Hydro says a generator connected to house wiring needs a CSA-approved transfer switch and an electrical permit. The switch and the generator must be inspected and approved by the local electrical inspector. Ask that the switch, the permit and the inspection all appear as separate lines in your quote. BC Hydro (source, opens in a new tab)
Can I just plug a portable generator into a wall outlet?
No. BC Hydro warns never to plug a portable generator into a regular household outlet. It can back-feed the BC Hydro grid, which is a serious danger to neighbours and utility workers. If you want the house wired to a generator, use a properly installed transfer switch instead. BC Hydro (source, opens in a new tab)
Why are Victoria homeowners thinking about backup power now?
The December 2025 windstorm left about 90,000 BC Hydro customers without power, and Victoria was named among the hardest-hit areas. BC Hydro said trees and branches were more susceptible to wind damage after several years of drought. When you compare quotes, ask how each installer plans for a long outage. Victoria News (source, opens in a new tab)