If your power is off
Call 105
Free, 24/7, from any landline or mobile. The 105 line routes you to Northern Powergrid if the fault is on its network. If you can see a downed cable, sparking equipment, or there is a risk to life, also call 999. Stay well clear.
Where Northern Powergrid delivers your electricity
Northern Powergrid holds two of Great Britain's fourteen electricity distribution licences: one covering the North East of England and one covering Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire. If you live in any of the regions below, the cables to your meter belong to Northern Powergrid.
Tyne and Wear
Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead, South Shields
Durham and Tees Valley
Durham, Middlesbrough, Stockton, Darlington
Yorkshire
Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, York, Hull
Northern Lincolnshire
Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Cleethorpes
Not sure if you are on Northern Powergrid's network? Use the quick check below.
How electricity actually reaches your meter
UK electricity moves in three stages, owned by three different kinds of company. Northern Powergrid owns one specific link in the chain.
-
1
Transmission: the high-voltage motorway
National Grid Electricity Transmission owns the very high voltage backbone in England and Wales. NESO balances supply and demand in real time across the whole of Great Britain.
-
2
Distribution: Northern Powergrid's cables
Northern Powergrid takes electricity off the high-voltage grid, steps the voltage down in stages and carries it through 96,000 km of cable across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire to your local substation, then to your meter.
-
3
Supply: your bill
An energy supplier buys electricity on the wholesale market, pays Northern Powergrid a distribution charge, then resells it to you. The supplier is the only part of the chain you can switch.
Is Northern Powergrid my electricity network? Quick check
Pick the region closest to your home. The check below tells you instantly whether Northern Powergrid is your distributor.
Pick the region closest to your home address.
Yes, Northern Powergrid is your electricity network.
In a power cut, call 105 free, 24/7. For a new connection or EV charger, apply through Northern Powergrid directly.
No, your network is .
For power cuts the number is the same across Great Britain: 105. Read more about your operator.
Northern Powergrid or your energy supplier: who handles what
The most common reason people wait too long for power-cut help is calling the wrong company. The split below is fixed across Great Britain.
| If your issue is. | Call Northern Powergrid | Call your supplier |
|---|---|---|
| Power cut on your street | Yes, on 105 | No |
| Downed cable or damaged pylon | Yes, plus 999 | No |
| New electricity connection or EV charger | Yes | No |
| Move, upgrade or smart meter | No | Yes |
| Switch tariff or compare prices | No | Yes |
| Bill, payment, direct debit | No | Yes |
| Solar panel or battery export | G98 / G99 application | SEG payment |
How Northern Powergrid is paid, and why that matters to your bill
Northern Powergrid is a regional monopoly. To stop monopolies from over-charging, the regulator Ofgem caps the revenue Northern Powergrid can collect each year under the RIIO framework.
Capped revenue
Ofgem caps how much Northern Powergrid can collect each year. If it invests more efficiently, it keeps part of the saving; if it overspends, shareholders absorb the loss.
Offshore wind connections
Yorkshire and the North East host some of the biggest offshore wind sites in Europe. Northern Powergrid invests heavily in onshore reinforcements so wind power can flow into homes across the region instead of being curtailed.
In your bill
Network charges typically account for around a fifth of a UK household electricity bill. Switching supplier only changes the supplier's margin and wholesale cost, not the network charge.
Northern Powergrid: frequently asked questions
Call 105 from any landline or mobile, free, 24/7. The line routes you to Northern Powergrid if the fault is on its network. Do not call your energy supplier first: your supplier sells you electricity, but Northern Powergrid owns the cables and substations. If you can see a downed cable or there is a danger to life, also call 999.
Northern Powergrid is part of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, a subsidiary of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. Like every UK distribution network, it operates under a licence regulated by Ofgem, and its allowed revenue is capped under the RIIO price control framework.
No. Northern Powergrid does not sell electricity to households: it owns and maintains the cables that bring it to your meter. The electricity itself is sold by your energy supplier, who pays Northern Powergrid a distribution charge that is included in your bill.
Apply through the Northern Powergrid website with the property address, the maximum demand in kVA and a rough timeline. Northern Powergrid will tell you whether your street has the spare capacity, the route required for a lateral cable and a quote. For EV charge points and solar exports, Northern Powergrid handles the G98 or G99 application.
A free Ofgem-mandated list of customers who need extra help during a power cut: older people, those with young children, anyone reliant on home dialysis, oxygen or other powered medical equipment. Northern Powergrid uses the register to prioritise its response and provide alternative heating or accommodation during long outages. Sign up through your supplier or directly with Northern Powergrid.