The locality here is CHICAGO. The Chicago Code includes the Chicago Electrical Code which essentially is a bunch of restrictions on the 2017 NEC. Nothing in the CEC appears to change the definition of accessible (as it applies here).

Here's the definition from Article 100 of the 2017 NEC:

Capable of being removed or exposed without damaging the building structure or

finish or not permanently closed in by the structure or finish of the building.

Any door or access panel, not designed to be 'permanently' closed is acceptable to get access to the junction box.

kudzu9 - As you suggested, I'll call the electrical inspector on Monday, he is a really quirky guy, so definitely best to check with him.

Ron Natalie - Wow, thanks for the excerpts from the CEC. It's really helpful to know these details, it'll make it easier to talk to the inspector.

Thanks so much guys!

Good luck. Let us know how this turns out.

Not up on Chicago anything. But are you talking about the work box for a receptacle? Because your use of their term junction box is confusing. It implies that the wires are run too short and you need to make a splice to make them longer to reach the desir d location. .

Sophie, rigid metal conduit is required to the junction box. From there, flexible conduit is allowed (as long as it's less than 6' long). The island requires 3 outlets (one for the MW). So the 3 flex conduits originate at that JB and go their separate ways from there.

Sophie, to be clear, "junction box" is a standard electrical term. They are used for splices, but all kinds of devices also get mounted in and on j-boxes, including receptacles and luminaires.

If I understand, you don't need a trap door on the floor of the cabinet. Cut a rectangular hole (if it is a square box) and mount it so that the 'top' is flush with the floor of the cabinet and make your connections internally. Then put a blank plate on it. Same thing you would do if it were a wall but you didn't have a switch or receptacle in it.

weedmister - yes, we thought of doing that, but the box and the 3 flex conduits would interfere with at least one of the regular Blum metal drawers, which then would have to be switched out to a shallow drawer.

Pippa, I don't understand why Weed's solution wouldn't work. Is your conduit-connected JB under the floor of the cabinet? A picture would be useful.

mtvhike - yes, right now it sits below the cab. The cabinets are covered up, as our new wood flooring is being finished, so I can't take any pics until we can step into the kitchen again.

Unless they changed the design, there's actually about 2 1/2" of space behind the back end of the drawer, enough to put a square 2" thick j-box on the back wall and not have the drawer hit it.

I thought you said 'floor' of the cabinet. If it mounted under the floor (of the cabinet) as I suggested, how can it interfere with a drawer?