The Northern Ireland electricity network
Northern Ireland does not run on the Great Britain grid. It has its own regulator, its own network owner, its own grid operator and a wholesale market shared with the Republic of Ireland. Here is who does what, who to call in a power cut, and how your bill is built.
One grid, one current. NIE Networks owns the wires, SONI keeps them live.
In short: in Northern Ireland, NIE Networks owns the wires and fixes power cuts (call 03457 643 643, not 105). SONI runs the grid in real time but you never contact it. The Utility Regulator regulates the market, not Ofgem. The electricity itself is priced on an all-island market shared with the Republic of Ireland. You can switch supplier, and that is the main thing you can actually control.
People assume Northern Ireland works like the rest of the UK because it shares the pound and the flag. It does not. The differences are not trivia: they decide who you phone when the lights go out, which body protects you, and why "just switch supplier" only changes about a fifth of your bill. This hub explains the whole system in plain words, then sends you to the right place for whatever you need.
960k+
Homes and businesses connected
2
Grid companies (NIE Networks + SONI)
6
Electricity suppliers you can switch to
1
All-island market (shared with ROI)
Two companies, one grid
Who runs the Northern Ireland electricity grid
Northern Ireland splits the grid job in two. One company owns the hardware, the other runs the system second by second. Click through for the full guide on each.
NIE Networks
Owns the wires
Northern Ireland Electricity Networks owns every pole, cable and substation and operates the distribution network to over 960,000 homes and businesses. It fixes your power cut. Owned by ESB Group.
Read the full guideSONI
Runs the grid
The System Operator for Northern Ireland balances the grid in real time and co-runs the all-island market. It owns no wires and you never contact it. Owned by EirGrid.
Read the full guideNot the same as GB
How Northern Ireland differs from Great Britain
If you read a UK energy guide and apply it here, you will dial the wrong number and misjudge your bill. These are the differences that actually matter.
| Feature | Great Britain | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|
| Regulator | Ofgem | Utility Regulator (NIAUR) |
| Network owner | 6 regional DNOs | One: NIE Networks |
| System operator | NESO | SONI |
| Power cut number | 105 | 03457 643 643 |
| Wholesale market | GB market | All-island SEM |
| Renewables levy | Renewables Obligation / CfD | NIRO |
| Price protection | Ofgem price cap | No cap; only Power NI tariffs regulated |
| VAT on electricity | 5% | 5% (same) |
Find the right contact
Who do I call in Northern Ireland?
Pick what is happening, and the tool tells you instantly who is responsible. Calling the wrong one is the most common reason people wait far too long.
Contact
| Situation | Who to contact |
|---|---|
| My power is off | NIE Networks — Call 03457 643 643, 24 hours, or report at powercheck.nienetworks.co.uk. |
| A power line has fallen down | NIE Networks + 999 — Call 999 if there is danger to life, then NIE Networks on 03457 643 643. Keep well clear. |
| I need a new connection | NIE Networks — Apply to NIE Networks for a new building, solar panels or an EV charger connection. |
| My meter or keypad is faulty | Your supplier — Contact your electricity supplier (Power NI, Budget Energy and so on). They handle metering. |
| I want to switch or compare prices | Your supplier — Switching is free in NI. Compare on the Consumer Council price tables, then sign up with the supplier. |
| My bill is too high | Your supplier — Talk to your supplier about tariffs and payment plans. Network charges and levies are fixed for everyone. |
The part you control
Yes, you can switch supplier in Northern Ireland
Unlike the grid, the retail market here is competitive. Several suppliers compete for your business, and switching is free and usually takes about two to three weeks. Only Power NI has tariffs that are still regulated by the Utility Regulator, with its profit margin capped at 2.2%.
Switching only changes the supplier and wholesale parts of your bill, roughly a fifth to a half. It never changes the NIE Networks or SONI network charge, the NIRO levy or VAT, which are the same for everyone. To compare current prices, the independent Consumer Council publishes a free price comparison table.
What is, and is not, on your bill
- +Wholesale electricity (the all-island market): the biggest single part, and you cannot switch it;
- +Network charges (NIE Networks + SONI): around a fifth to a quarter, fixed for everyone;
- +NIRO renewables levy: around 4 to 5% of the bill;
- +Supplier cost and margin: the part you change by switching;
- +VAT at 5%: a tax, the same as the rest of the UK.
Save this number
Power cut in Northern Ireland? Call 03457 643 643
That is NIE Networks, open 24 hours a day for power cuts and faults, or report online at powercheck.nienetworks.co.uk. The Great Britain "105" line does not work here. If a power line has fallen or there is any danger to life, call 999 first and keep everyone well clear.
Call NIE NetworksNorthern Ireland energy FAQ
The Selectra expert answers your questions
Call NIE Networks on 03457 643 643, open 24 hours a day, or report online at powercheck.nienetworks.co.uk. The Great Britain 105 number does not work here. If a power line has fallen or there is danger to life, also call 999 and keep clear.
Yes. Retail electricity here is competitive, with suppliers including Power NI, Budget Energy, Click Energy, SSE Airtricity, Electric Ireland and Share Energy. Switching is free and usually takes about two to three weeks. Only Power NI tariffs are regulated by the Utility Regulator.
The Utility Regulator (the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation), not Ofgem. Ofgem only covers England, Scotland and Wales. The Utility Regulator sets the network price controls and regulates Power NI tariffs.
NIE Networks owns the wires, poles and substations and fixes power cuts. SONI operates the transmission grid in real time and co-runs the all-island market, but owns no infrastructure. You contact NIE Networks, never SONI.
Because Northern Ireland buys electricity on the all-island Single Electricity Market shared with the Republic of Ireland, not the Great Britain market. The wholesale price is set across the whole island and driven mainly by gas and wind. There is no Ofgem-style price cap, so prices move more freely.
Know your network
Understand the Northern Ireland grid in two reads
Start with NIE Networks, the company that owns the wires and fixes power cuts. Then read SONI, the operator that keeps the whole grid balanced. Together they explain everything behind your meter.