Does anyone have experience being forced to plug into the grid when building?

I'm building in a small little village that has powerlines. Recently, I heard a rumor that the county will force me to plug into the power grid in order to pass my final inspection.

Does anyone have experience with this?

A friend of mine told me to play the game and wire the house to code and plug into the grid. Once I pass all my inspections and move in,  just stop paying my bill and get disconnected and switch over to my own power.

In my area, the power company keeps raising the prices so I really don't wanna be plugged into their game. I don't use that much power and I would be fine on solar, but I don't wanna get into a headbutting situation with the county over it.

I appreciate any advice or insight
Thank you

The first step, for me, would be to check directly with the powers that be to find out if there is any truth to the rumor.

Check your local bylaws Both city hall and your local health authority directly.  Rumors are like the internet, they can say anything.  

That said, some places in the world do have minimum standards they feel are necessary if someone is to live in a building.  Fire safety, sanitation, etc.  Some places include heat and cooling which require electricity.  This may or may not require being plugged in to the grid.  Only your local authorities would know that.  

Being disconnected for not paying the bill can harm your credit rating. I'm sure there is a way to end the contract that doesn't hurt you. House hookup greatly increases the resale value of the property so there is that to consider if you plan on selling in the next 40 years.  

I heard a rumor that the county will force me to plug

"Rumors always travel faster than the truth", check the real source.

If the hook up is required or not, wiring according to code strikes me as a good idea.

Strange this topic is a relative new posting on here, as I just saw a program on this very thing just this weekend on t.v. or dish .
Here is what they said, Some townships, counties and maybe a state or two have in the building codes that you have to have utility supplied electricity to qualify for a permit of occupancy. The kick is continued service is required to not face condiming of the residence (not fit for habitation is what they claim)! They also showed the way residents got a small breaker box with a main and 1 20 amp circuit that ran one 25 watt bulb some put it in the root cellar some in a kitchen cabinet so they could shut the door and block the light ! the little bulb made sure they used some so no  claim it was a fake service and still used less than the minimum amount I dont know what year the data was from but they said this got them a bill around $8 dollars a month. Research the rules before you start a big home steading effort so this type thing can be avoided all together very few places seem to have this rule.

I really appreciate your response here. I ended up trying to follow up with my county, but they have this terrible habit of demanding your address before they'll answer questions. But from what I've gathered from others is essentially you can't get your permit of occupancy without being hooked into the grid. And you can't sell your house without being actively plugged into a grid. There is a house about a half a mile off of a road that was recently forced to pay for electrical lines to be run up to the house so he could sell it. It's a shame that they're doing this to people and seems like a scam that only benefits the power company.

My electric company is terrible and they just signed a 30 year contract to continue to buy coal power from Texas. It's a co-op so even if I'm not using electricity it's still cost over $55 a month. I think my plan is to wire the house up to code and get plugged in to the grid because I have an electrical pole nearby so it won't be difficult. And then just go default on my bill so they shut my power off and I have a feeling that they don't communicate that with my county. Or that's my hope.

Russ Cottrill wrote:Strange this topic is a relative new posting on here, as I just saw a program on this very thing just this weekend on t.v. or dish .
Here is what they said, Some townships, counties and maybe a state or two have in the building codes that you have to have utility supplied electricity to qualify for a permit of occupancy. The kick is continued service is required to not face condiming of the residence (not fit for habitation is what they claim)! They also showed the way residents got a small breaker box with a main and 1 20 amp circuit that ran one 25 watt bulb some put it in the root cellar some in a kitchen cabinet so they could shut the door and block the light ! the little bulb made sure they used some so no  claim it was a fake service and still used less than the minimum amount I dont know what year the data was from but they said this got them a bill around $8 dollars a month. Research the rules before you start a big home steading effort so this type thing can be avoided all together very few places seem to have this rule.

I did a google search and discovered this;
"
- Connection to an electrical reticulation system (grid) is not generally compulsory everywhere in the world, but it is often mandated or practically enforced through local building codes, occupancy permits, or safety regulations in developed urban areas.
- While many jurisdictions permit voluntary "off-grid" living using independent solar/storage systems, specific laws often exist that restrict total energy independence or force connection if a grid is available.
Here are the key aspects regarding the compulsory nature of grid connection:
- Occupancy and Building Permits: In many cities and municipalities, particularly in North America and Europe, you cannot obtain an occupancy permit for a new residential building without connecting to essential services, which can include electricity.
- Proximity Regulations: Some areas have regulations stating that if your property is within a certain distance of existing distribution lines, you are required to connect, particularly to ensure safety and stability in densely populated       areas.
- Renting Restrictions: In some regions, rental providers (landlords) are legally obligated to have the property connected to the grid to meet habitability standards."