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SP Energy Networks: Power Cuts & New Connections

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SP Energy Networks owns and operates one of Great Britain’s six electricity distribution networks. It also owns the transmission network in southern Scotland. Read on to find out more about the services that are available to residents in the SP Energy Networks area.

Who is SP Energy Networks?

As a subsidiary of Scottish Power, SP Energy Networks owns and operates the electricity transmission and distribution networks in Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and North Shropshire, as well as in Central and Southern Scotland.

As both a transmission and distribution company, SP Energy Networks takes electricity (which is generated from power stations, wind farms and other sources of energy), reduces its voltage to the appropriate level for homes, and then transports it through the network to its more than 3.52 million customers.

Its distribution network consists of 30,000 substations, as well as 40,000 kilometres of overhead lines and 65,000 kilometres of underground cables. It operates in some of the UK’s largest cities, such as Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as in rural areas, like North Wales, Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.

In the map below, you can see the area to which SP Energy Networks distributes electricity.

map of gas distribution network

Who is my supplier?

If you’re looking for your electricity supplier, it’s not SP Energy Networks. Even though the company carries electricity to your home or business, it doesn’t provide the actual electricity that you consume.

Your supplier is the company that you pay your power bill to. If you have a look at your bill, you’ll notice that part of what you pay to your electricity supplier is then paid to SP Energy networks in exchange for running and maintaining the electricity network.

Got a power cut?

To report a power cut or an electrical emergency to SP Energy Networks, call 105. Lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Both of these phone numbers are free from a mobile phone and landline.

In the case of a power cut, we also recommend that you take the following action (if possible):

  • See if other areas are affected. Ask your neighbours or check the street lights.
  • Switch off electrical appliances that should not be left unattended. This includes irons and other devices that could cause harm if they restart when the power comes back on.
  • Check the trip switch in your fuse box. If it’s not in the on position, turn off all electrical appliances and attempt to reset the switch.
  • Check on your vulnerable neighbours. Make sure they are warm and have sufficient food supplies.
  • Don’t open your freezer. If unopened, some freezers can remain cold for up to 12 hours! In the case that your food spoils, you may be able to file a claim on your home insurance.

SP Energy Networks power cut map

lightning-bolt

You can locate the SP Energy Networks power cut map on the distributor’s website. To access the map, go to the SP Energy Networks homepage and click on the box with the pin location icon that says Power Cuts In Your Area. Enter your postcode in the box that says Full or partial postcode, then click Search.

You will be redirected to a new page and given information regarding the status of the power cut. If you find that SP Energy Networks has not published any information about the power cut, you should contact the distributor by calling 105 to report the incident.

Need to get connected?

Need a new electricity connection? We break down how to get a new connection or a service alteration with SP Energy Networks in four simple steps.

1. Check to make sure that you are within the network area

The easiest way to make sure that your property is located within the SP Energy Networks’ area is by entering your postcode into the distributors live power cut map on its website. You will be informed if SP Energy Networks does not distribute electricity to your area.

Are you not in the SP Energy Networks area? Check out your network area’s guide below to find out how to get connected.

2. Apply for a new connection

You can apply for a new connection on the SP Energy Networks website. On the distributor’s homepage, click on the blue box with the charging icon that says Getting Connected.

Once directed to a new page, click on New Connection (or the service that you wish to apply for). Then click on where it says Apply online now. If you have any questions about the application process, send an email to [email protected].

3. Get your quote and pay

How much it will cost depends on the size and location of the site, as well as the complexity of the connection or alteration being made.

Once you get your quote from SP Energy Networks, you must pay for the connection or alteration before any work commences. The quote is valid for 90 days. In the table below, you’ll find the estimated prices and timescale for customers seeking connection or alteration services.

Connection type Average price Average time to get connected after you pay
House (single plot) £1,657 42 days
House (two to four plots) £4,121 42 days
Temporary supply £1,436 42 days
Moving a single meter & connection point £872 42 days
Moving multiple meters & connection points £1,561 42 days
Single disconnection (metered supply) £1,214 28 days
Single disconnection (unmetered supply) £1,097 28 days

4. Get connected!

On the day the connection is made, workers will dig a trench on the property to lay a new electricity cable. The cable will run from the road up to where you want the new electricity meter to be.

Once the power connection is made, you will then need to register with a licensed electricity supplier. This will be the company that you pay your power bill to. It will also be the company that installs your electricity meter. Before choosing just any supplier, we advise 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 offers in your area.

Check out the following provider guides to help you compare:

Contact SP Energy Networks

Do you need to contact SP Energy Networks? We break down the best ways for you to contact the energy company below.

UK Power Networks contact phone numbers
Department Phone number Opening hours
Power cut 105 24/7
Customer service (Central and Southern Scotland) 0800 092 9290 24/7
Customer service (Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales & North Shropshire) 0800 001 5400 24/7
Connections & alterations (Central & Southern Scotland) 0845 270 0785 Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:45pm
Connections & alterations (Cheshire, Merseyside, North Wales & North Shropshire) 0845 270 0783 Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:45pm

Emergency contact information

If you experience a power cut or an electrical emergency, contact SP Energy Networks by calling 105 immediately.

Customers in Central and Southern Scotland can also contact SP Energy Networks on 0800 092 9290, and customers in Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and North Shropshire can call 0800 001 5400 to report an emergency.

All of these emergency numbers are free to call, and representatives are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

General enquiries

If you live in Central and Southern Scotland, contact SP Energy Networks on 0800 092 9290 for any general enquiries you may have. Residents of Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and North Shropshire should call 0800 001 5400 to contact the company.

Representatives are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Reasons for calling may include requesting any of the following services:

  • Shrouding of overhead lines
  • Tree trimming around overhead lines
  • Network plans showing underground electricity cables
  • Loss of supply

Do you prefer to write to SP Energy Networks? The following table lays out the company’s email and mailing addresses.

UK Power Networks contact phone numbers
Central and Southern Scotland Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and North Shropshire
[email protected] [email protected]
Customer Contact Team, SP Energy Networks, 320 St Vincent St, Glasgow, G2 5AD Customer Contact Team, SP Energy Networks, 3 Prenton Way, Prenton, CH43 3ET

Jobs

Are you interested in applying for one of SP Energy Networks jobs? The energy company’s distribution sector currently employs nearly 2,600 internal staff at 34 locations in the South of Scotland, England and Wales. In addition to the company’s internal staff, it also contracts around 2,500 individuals across these areas.

SP Energy Networks offers a variety of career opportunities, ranging from fieldwork to office-based positions. To find current SP Energy Networks job vacancies, go to the company’s website and click on where it says About us in the top bar. Next, click on Additional information, located in the menu on the left side of the page. Then select Careers.

In addition to jobs, SP Energy networks also provides a scholarship programme that provides technical training.

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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