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History

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Our Founder, Palmer Johnson

Founded by Palmer Johnson in 1966 in San Antonio, Big State Electric began as a small local contractor with only a handful of employees, providing routine electrical services to the surrounding community. 

EARLY ON...

First office at 1302 E. Euclid

From the 1970s through the 1990s, the company focused on building strong partnerships and establishing a reputation for reliability and quality. As trust grew with businesses operating across Texas, clients began requesting that we expand alongside them to support projects statewide. This marked a pivotal turning point for Big State Electric and set the foundation for decades of sustained growth. 

In 2008, we expanded our footprint by acquiring Kanetzky Electric in Austin, Texas, allowing us to better serve our existing clients in the region. Continued growth led to further expansion into Houston in 2015, Corpus Christi in 2017, and most recently, Arlington, Texas in 2024. 

BIG STATE ELECTRIC HISTORY

TIMELINE

San Antonio, TX

Big State Electric Founded (March)

1966

2008

Austin, TX

Office Opens
(Acquired Kanetzksy Electric)

Houston, TX

Office Opens
(Acquired Treadwell Electric)

2015

2016

1st Prefab Project

(One Frost Bank)

Celebrating 50 Years in Business

Internal Engineering Division

Established

Reached $100M

in Annual Revenue

2017

2018

500+ Employees

Milestone

Celebrating 50 Years in Business

Corpus Christi, TX

Office Opens

2019

2023

Reached $200M in Revenue

and 1,000+ Employees Milestone

Medium Voltage Division Established

(Acquired Quality Power Distribution) and

Water / Wastewater Division Established

Ended 2024 with 1,660 employees

(up 38% from 2023)

Reached $300M

in Annual Revenue

2024

2025

Reached $400M

DFW, TX Office opens

(Acquired Boggs Electric)

Named Top 50 (#42) National Electrical Contractor

Celebrating 60 Years

2,000+ Employees Milestone

2026

In 2008, we expanded our footprint by acquiring Kanetzky Electric in Austin, Texas, allowing us to better serve our existing clients in the region. Continued growth led to further expansion into Houston in 2015, Corpus Christi in 2017, and most recently, Arlington, Texas in 2024. 

This rapid growth has created lasting career opportunities for more than 2,000 hardworking Texans, quadrupling our workforce in just eight years. 

Today, as one of the nation’s leading commercial and industrial electrical contractors, we remain committed to showing up, working hard, and doing right by the people we serve. 

SEE OUR LEADERSHIP

AND SO IT GOES...

2026 New Office Groundbreaking

BIG STATE ELECTRIC

BY THE NUMBERS

of our services
0 %

are performed in-house, allowing us greater control over budgets, timelines and quality assurance.

EMERGENCY SERVICES
0 /7

All services come with free estimate, 24/7/365 service calls and a dedicated Service Manager as your point of Contact 

SAFETY INCIDENTS
0
in the last

days

Service Request

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Electrical System Upgrades & Retrofits
  • Evaluate existing electrical infrastructure
  • Design upgraded distribution systems (panels, feeders, capacity)
  • Replace outdated or undersized equipment
  • Improve reliability and redundancy

Lighting Design & Retrofit Projects
  • Site evaluation and lighting audits
  • Design of interior, exterior, and site lighting systems
  • LED retrofit planning and layout
  • Controls integration (timers, occupancy sensors, smart systems)

Tenant Improvements / Build-Outs
  • Electrical design for new office, retail, or industrial spaces
  • Power and lighting layouts
  • Circuiting and panel schedules
  • Coordination with general contractors and other trades

Equipment Power & Infrastructure Design
  • Power requirements analysis for new equipment
  • Design of dedicated circuits and disconnects
  • Coordination with equipment vendors
  • Installation and commissioning

EV Charging Infrastructure
  • Site feasibility and load capacity analysis
  • Design of EV charger layout and electrical infrastructure
  • Utility coordination
  • Installation and commissioning

Backup Power & Emergency Systems
  • Generator sizing and system design
  • Automatic transfer switch (ATS) design
  • Critical load identification
  • Integration with existing systems

Medium Voltage Distribution Design
  • Evaluation of existing MV systems
  • Design of feeders, terminations, and switchgear layouts
  • Coordination with utility providers
  • System upgrades and expansions

Power Quality & System Optimization
  • Load studies and power quality analysis
  • Design solutions for harmonics, imbalance, or voltage issues
  • Capacitor banks or system corrections

Code Compliance & Safety Upgrades
  • Facility assessments for NEC compliance
  • Design of corrective solutions
  • Panel upgrades, grounding improvements, labeling systems

Communication & Low Voltage System Design
  • Structured cabling design (data, voice)
  • Security and access control system layouts
  • Coordination with IT and security vendors

Our typical repair services include: 

General Electrical Repairs (Low Voltage / Standard Power)
  • Circuit breaker replacement and repair
  • Panelboard troubleshooting and repair
  • Fuse replacement and disconnect repairs
  • Wiring repairs (damaged, aging, or faulty conductors)
  • Receptacle, switch, and device replacement
  • Lighting system repairs (interior/exterior)
  • Ground fault and short circuit repairs
  • Power loss diagnostics and restoration
  • Overloaded circuit correction

Medium Voltage Repairs 
  • Medium voltage cable repair and termination
  • Switchgear troubleshooting and repair
  • Transformer diagnostics and repair coordination
  • Primary distribution fault isolation
  • Splice and termination repairs
  • Pad-mounted and substation equipment repairs
  • Insulation failure identification
  • Infrared (thermal) diagnostics and corrective work
  • Coordination with utility providers for outages and repairs

Emergency Electrical Repairs
  • 24/7 emergency response services
  • Power outage restoration
  • Storm damage repair
  • Emergency disconnect and isolation of hazardous systems
  • Temporary power setup and restoration
  • Critical system repairs to restore operations
  • Burnt equipment replacement (panels, breakers, conductors)

Commercial & Industrial Equipment Repairs
  • Motor control circuit troubleshooting
  • Control panel repair and component replacement
  • Disconnect switch repair/replacement
  • Equipment power supply repairs
  • HVAC electrical repairs
  • Machinery and production equipment troubleshooting
  • VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) troubleshooting

Lighting & Controls Repairs
  • Interior and exterior lighting repairs
  • Parking lot and site lighting repair
  • LED driver and ballast replacement
  • Lighting control system troubleshooting
  • Photocell and timer repairs
  • Emergency and exit lighting repairs

Communication & Low Voltage System Repairs
  • Data/communication line repairs
  • Network cabling troubleshooting
  • Phone system wiring repairs
  • Security system power and wiring repairs
  • Access control system electrical repairs
  • Camera (CCTV) power and connectivity troubleshooting

Power Quality & System Troubleshooting
  • Voltage drop and fluctuation diagnostics
  • Harmonic and load imbalance troubleshooting
  • Nuisance breaker tripping analysis
  • Phase loss detection and correction
  • Grounding and bonding issue repairs
  • Power factor-related issues (if applicable)

Preventative & Corrective Repair Work
  • Identification and replacement of failing components
  • Tightening and re-termination of loose connections
  • Corrosion-related repairs
  • Heat-damaged equipment replacement
  • Aging infrastructure upgrades discovered during maintenance

Small-Scale Service Repairs
  • Adding or relocating outlets and switches
  • Minor circuit modifications
  • Breaker resets and minor troubleshooting
  • Quick-response tenant/service calls
  • Office and retail electrical fixes

Large-Scale Repair Projects
  • Major feeder and distribution repairs
  • Panel and switchgear replacement due to failure
  • Facility-wide electrical system repairs
  • Service entrance repairs and upgrades
  • Post-incident electrical rebuilds (fire, flood, equipment failure)

Safety & Code-Related Repairs
  • Correction of NEC violations
  • GFCI/AFCI repairs and upgrades
  • Grounding and bonding corrections
  • Panel labeling and identification corrections
  • Repair of unsafe or non-compliant installations

Temporary & Backup Power Repairs
  • Generator connection troubleshooting
  • Transfer switch repair
  • Temporary power system repairs
  • Backup system restoration

Our FM services include:

1. Preventative Maintenance & Repairs
  • Comprehensive PM Program
  • Panel and breaker inspections (tightening, thermal checks if applicable)
  • Testing of circuits and load balancing
  • Inspection of transformers, switchgear, and disconnects
  • Lighting system checks (interior, exterior, emergency lighting)
  • Backup system checks (generators, UPS if applicable)
  • Preventative replacement of worn components
  • Documentation and maintenance reports

2. Troubleshooting & Repairs
  • Day-to-day service calls:
  • Diagnosing power outages, shorts, and faults
  • Repairing wiring, breakers, panels, and devices
  • Fixing lighting issues and control systems
  • Addressing nuisance tripping or overload issues
  • Equipment failure diagnostics

3. Installation & Upgrades
  • Project-based work that can stem from maintenance findings:
  • New circuit installations
  • Panel upgrades and replacements
  • Lighting upgrades (LED retrofits, energy efficiency)
  • Equipment hookups (HVAC, machinery, etc.)
  • Dedicated circuits for new equipment
  • EV chargers (increasingly common)
  • Temporary power setups

4. Emergency & On-Call Services
  • 24/7 or defined on-call availability
  • Priority response times
  • Emergency repairs to restore power or safety
  • Storm or outage response

5. Code Compliance & Safety Work
  • Helps the client stay out of trouble:
  • Bringing systems up to NEC and local code
  • Correcting violations found in inspections
  • GFCI/AFCI upgrades where required
  • Grounding and bonding corrections
  • Labeling panels and circuits properly
  • Supporting third-party inspections

6. Preventative Maintenance Programs
  • Custom maintenance schedules for the facility
  • Asset tracking (panels, equipment, circuits)
  • Lifecycle planning for electrical components
  • Recommendations for replacements/upgrades
  • Budget forecasting for electrical work

7. Energy Efficiency & Optimization
  • Lighting audits and retrofit recommendations
  • Load analysis and balancing
  • Power quality assessments
  • Suggestions to reduce energy consumption
  • Assistance with rebates or incentive programs

8. Small Projects & Ongoing Improvements
  • Adding outlets, circuits, or disconnects
  • Minor remodel electrical work
  • Office/tenant improvements
  • Equipment relocations
  • Low-voltage support

9. Documentation & Reporting
  • Service reports after each visit
  • Maintenance logs
  • Issue tracking and resolution history
  • Recommendations for future work
  • As-built updates (if applicable)

10. Coordination & Support
  • Coordination with facility managers
  • Working alongside other contractors (HVAC, mechanical, etc.)
  • Scheduling around business operations
  • Supporting shutdowns or off-hours work
  • Consulting on electrical decisions

1. Routine Maintenance & Preventative Services

  • Scheduled electrical system inspections (monthly/quarterly/annual)
  • Panel and breaker inspections (tightening, thermal checks if applicable)
  • Testing of circuits and load balancing
  • Inspection of transformers, switchgear, and disconnects
  • Lighting system checks (interior, exterior, emergency lighting)
  • Backup system checks (generators, UPS if applicable)
  • Preventative replacement of worn components
  • Documentation and maintenance reports


2. Troubleshooting & Repairs

  • Day-to-day service calls:
  • Diagnosing power outages, shorts, and faults
  • Repairing wiring, breakers, panels, and devices
  • Fixing lighting issues and control systems
  • Addressing nuisance tripping or overload issues
  • Equipment failure diagnostics


3. Installation & Upgrades

  • Project-based work that can stem from maintenance findings:
  • New circuit installations
  • Panel upgrades and replacements
  • Lighting upgrades (LED retrofits, energy efficiency)
  • Equipment hookups (HVAC, machinery, etc.)
  • Dedicated circuits for new equipment
  • EV chargers (increasingly common)
  • Temporary power setups


4. Emergency & On-Call Services

  • 24/7 or defined on-call availability
  • Priority response times
  • Emergency repairs to restore power or safety
  • Storm or outage response


5. Code Compliance & Safety Work

  • Helps the client stay out of trouble:
  • Bringing systems up to NEC and local code
  • Correcting violations found in inspections
  • GFCI/AFCI upgrades where required
  • Grounding and bonding corrections
  • Labeling panels and circuits properly
  • Supporting third-party inspections


6. Preventative Maintenance Programs

  • Custom maintenance schedules for the facility
  • Asset tracking (panels, equipment, circuits)
  • Lifecycle planning for electrical components
  • Recommendations for replacements/upgrades
  • Budget forecasting for electrical work


7. Energy Efficiency & Optimization

  • Lighting audits and retrofit recommendations
  • Load analysis and balancing
  • Power quality assessments
  • Suggestions to reduce energy consumption
  • Assistance with rebates or incentive programs


8. Small Projects & Ongoing Improvements

  • Adding outlets, circuits, or disconnects
  • Minor remodel electrical work
  • Office/tenant improvements
  • Equipment relocations
  • Low-voltage support


9. Documentation & Reporting

  • Service reports after each visit
  • Maintenance logs
  • Issue tracking and resolution history
  • Recommendations for future work
  • As-built updates (if applicable)


10. Coordination & Support

  • Coordination with facility managers
  • Working alongside other contractors (HVAC, mechanical, etc.)
  • Scheduling around business operations
  • Supporting shutdowns or off-hours work
  • Consulting on electrical decisions

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