Your home’s electrical panel controls how much total power can flow in from the grid and how it’s distributed to circuits throughout the house. Most homes built before 2000 have 100-amp or 150-amp service. Adding a Level 2 EV charger, solar inverter, or home battery can push you past that capacity, at which point upgrading to 200 amps (or higher) is required.
The work involves replacing the main panel and usually the meter socket, and it requires a permit and Duke Energy sign-off before reconnection. It sounds more disruptive than it typically is: most panel upgrades are completed in a single day. Not every installation requires one. If your panel already has 200-amp service and open breaker slots, you may be able to add a charger with no upgrade at all. A licensed electrician can assess this in about 15 minutes.
When you’re getting quotes
Before accepting a quote that includes a panel upgrade, ask the electrician to walk you through why it’s needed. Some upgrades are genuinely required; others are added by default. Key questions: What is my current service size? How many open breaker slots do I have? Could a load management device let me avoid the upgrade? A good electrician will answer all three before recommending the more expensive route.