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SSEN: Get connected in five easy steps!

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SSEN logo

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) is both a transmission and distribution network operator that serves northern Scotland and central Southern England. Read on to learn more about its services and what SSEN can do for you.

About Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) is part of leading energy company SSE. It owns and operates the electricity transmission and distribution networks in northern Scotland and central Southern England.

As both a transmission and distribution company, SSEN takes electricity generated from power stations and other sources of energy, reduces its voltage to the appropriate level, and then transports it through its network to 4 million homes and businesses.

The network consists of 130,000 kilometres of overhead lines and underground cables and 106,000 substations. It also has over 100 subsea cables, which power island communities.

In the map below, you can see the areas to which Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks distributes electricity.

map of gas distribution network

Who is my supplier?

SSEN is not your electricity supplier. Even though the company distributes electricity to your home or business, it doesn’t provide the actual electricity that you use.

Your electricity supplier is the company that you pay your power bill to. If you have a look at your bill, you can see that part of what you pay to your supplier is then paid to SSEN in exchange for running and maintaining the network.

Need to get connected?

Do you need a new electricity connection? We break down how to get connected in five easy steps.

1. Make sure that you are within the SSEN network area

To check that your property is within the SSEN network area, go to the company’s website and scroll down to the box that says Are we your distributor? Enter your postcode and click on Find my distributor.

If you’re not within the Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks area, you will be notified of whom your distributor is. If this is the case, check out your distributor’s guide below to find out how to get connected.

2. Register for an account

Before you are able to apply for a new connection, you will need to register for an online account with SSEN. You can do so on the Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks website. On the distribution company’s homepage, click on where it says Account at the top of the page, then click Register.

You will need to enter the details listed below, and then click where it says Register at the bottom of the page.

  • Your name
  • Your email address
  • Your password

3. Apply for a new connection

Once you’ve created your account, go back to the SSEN homepage. Click on Connections in the top bar, and select the option that says Online Applications. Locate the box with your desired type of connection, and then click on Apply Online.

You will need to enter some details about your property, as well as include a location plan and a site layout plan. When you submit the application, you may be required to pay Connection Offer Expenses, also known as Assessment and Design charges. Even if you do not ultimately accept the Connection Offer, you must pay this fee if it is required.

From the date the application is submitted, customers have a 14-day cooling-off period, during which the application can be cancelled and no Connection Offer Expenses will be applied. If you have any questions about the application process, send an email to [email protected].

4. Get your quote and pay

The cost of the connection depends on the size and location of the site, as well as the complexity of the connection being made.

Once you get your quote from SSEN, you must pay for the connection before any work can begin. In the table below, you’ll find the estimated prices for a new connection.

Connection type Estimated price
Single domestic £1,100
Domestic housing development (200 homes) £207,000
Commercial £54,100

5. Get connected!

Once you’ve accepted your quote from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, a Connection Manager will contact you within a week to discuss the connection and either schedule your connection date or set up a site visit (if necessary).

On the day the connection is made, workers will dig a trench to lay a new electricity cable. This cable will run from the road up to where the new electricity meter will be installed.

Once the new electricity connection has been made, you will need to register with a licensed electricity supplier. This is the company that you’ll pay your power bill to. It will also be the company that installs your electricity meter.

Before choosing just any energy supplier, we recommend that you do a bit of research. With energy prices among companies ranging by hundreds of pounds a year, it’s best to do a comparison of the tariffs available in your area.

Check out the following provider guides to help you compare:

Power cuts

Do you need to report a power cut in the SSEN area? You can contact the distribution company by calling 105. Residents north of the Central Belt of Scotland can also call 0800 048 3516 and those who live in Central Southern England can call 0800 048 3516. If you dial one of the latter phone numbers, you should select Option one from the automated menu.

These emergency phone lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Both of these phone numbers are also free to call from a mobile phone and landline.

If possible, we recommend that you take the following action in the event of a power cut:

  • See if other areas have lost power. You could either check the street lights or ask your neighbours.
  • Check that the trip switch in your fuse box is turned on. If the switch is in the off position, turn off all electrical appliances and attempt to reset the switch.
  • Switch off electrical appliances that shouldn’t be left unattended. This includes irons and other devices that may present danger if they restart when the electricity returns.
  • Don’t open your freezer. If kept closed, some freezers can remain cold for up to 12 hours! In the case that your food spoils, you may even be able to file a claim on your home insurance.
  • Check on your vulnerable neighbours. Make sure they are warm and have sufficient food supplies.

SSEN power cut map

lightning-bolt

You can find the SSEN power cut map on the distributor’s website. To access the live map, go to the Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks homepage and click on where it says Power Cuts & Emergencies in the top bar. Then click on Power Track - Live Updates in the drop-down menu.

You will be redirected to a new page with a map. Enter your postcode in the box under where it says Postcode search, and click Search. You will then be given information about the cause and status of the power cut. If the power cut has not yet been reported, you should contact Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks by calling 105 to inform the distributor of the incident.

Contact Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks

Do you need to get in touch with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks? Last year, the distributor handled over 550,000 calls from its customers – that’s more than 1,500 per day! The following table breaks down the contact phone numbers for SSEN.

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks contact numbers
Department Phone number Opening hours
Customer service (northern Scotland) 0800 048 3515 24/7
Customer service (central Southern England) 0800 048 3516 24/7
Power cut 105 24/7

Emergency contact details

To report an electrical emergency or a power cut to SSEN, you should call 105. Residents located north of the Central Belt of Scotland can also call 0800 048 3515 and those in Central Southern England can call 0800 048 3516. For the latter emergency contact numbers, you should select Option one.

General enquiries

If you live north of the Central Belt of Scotland, contact SSEN on 0800 048 3515 for any general enquiries you may have. Residents of central Southern England should call 0800 048 3516.

You will listen to an automated recording with the following options:

  1. To report a power cut or a dangerous situation regarding electrical cables or equipment, press 1.
  2. For connection or removal enquiries, press 2.
  3. For general enquiries, press 3.

SSEN representatives are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Do you prefer to write to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks? You can either send an email to [email protected] or write a letter addressed to the following address: Connections and Engineering, Walton Park, Walton Road, Cosham PO6 1UJ.

Customers can also reach out to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks via Facebook and Twitter (@ssencommunity).

The services and products mentioned on this website may only represent a small selection of the options available to you. Selectra encourages you to carry out your own research and seek advice if necessary before making any decisions. We may receive commission from selected partner providers on sales of some products and/or services mentioned within this website. Our website is free to use, and the commission we receive does not affect our opinion or the information we provide.

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