105
Free national fault line
Free, 24/7
Electricity North West
Your DNO
serves Greater Manchester
32+
towns covered
incl. Manchester, Salford, Bolton
up to £150+
Ofgem compensation
for cuts over 24h
Live outage map for Greater Manchester
The map shows incidents reported by users in real time, centred on Greater Manchester. Zoom in on your street to check whether a cut is your home only or a wider network fault — when neighbours are also dark, it is a Electricity North West job.
Mostly built-up urban basin between the Peak District foothills (Saddleworth, Tameside) and the West Pennine Moors (Bolton, Rochdale). Weather rarely takes out the city centre — but the moorland edges of Saddleworth, Marsden and Diggle see overhead-line snow damage every winter.
Live Power Outages in the UK
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Report a power cut in Greater Manchester
Seeing a cut the map hasn't caught yet? Add it in seconds. Your report is anonymous and appears on the live map above so neighbours in Greater Manchester know what's going on.
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Power cuts by town in Greater Manchester
Pick your town for local outage reports, the live map and your network operator's fault line.
Why the power goes out in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is the densest urban network inside Electricity North West's licence area, covering ten metropolitan boroughs with around 2.8 million people. Mostly built-up urban basin between the Peak District foothills (Saddleworth, Tameside) and the West Pennine Moors (Bolton, Rochdale).
Weather and terrain. Weather rarely takes out the city centre — but the moorland edges of Saddleworth, Marsden and Diggle see overhead-line snow damage every winter.
How the network is run. ENW operates from Stretford, Stockport and Bolton depots. Manchester city centre has triple-redundant ring-main feeds; the moorland edges are single-feeder overhead.
A local quirk worth knowing. Manchester's Hulme and Ancoats apartment blocks include some of the largest single-customer power demands in the North West — a substation fault here affects thousands of dwellings simultaneously.
What to do when the power goes out at home in Greater Manchester
Check whether neighbours are affected
Look at the street lights and the houses opposite. If they're on, your fault is inside your home — check the consumer unit. If they're out too, it is a Electricity North West network fault: call 105.
Dial 105
Have your full postcode ready. Ask the operator for an estimated time of restoration (ETR) and a fault reference number — both make any later compensation claim faster.
Unplug sensitive electronics
Unplug TVs, routers, computers and consoles to protect them from a surge when supply returns. Leave one light switched on so you'll know visually when the power is back.
Log start and end times
A cut over 24 hours in normal weather entitles you to £75 from Electricity North West under Ofgem's Guaranteed Standards. Severe weather has higher thresholds and a £2,000 cap. Keep a written log with photos — most payments arrive automatically within 10 working days.
The Selectra expert answers your questions on power cuts in Greater Manchester
Always to your Distribution Network Operator, not your supplier. In Greater Manchester that is Electricity North West. Dial 105 (Free national fault line) — free, 24/7.
Weather rarely takes out the city centre — but the moorland edges of Saddleworth, Marsden and Diggle see overhead-line snow damage every winter. ENW operates from Stretford, Stockport and Bolton depots. Manchester city centre has triple-redundant ring-main feeds; the moorland edges are single-feeder overhead.
Yes. Under Ofgem's Guaranteed Standards of Performance, domestic customers in Greater Manchester receive £75 after 24 hours off in normal weather, plus £40 every additional 12 hours up to £300. Severe-weather events have higher thresholds and a £2,000 cap. Payment is normally automatic from Electricity North West within 10 working days — claim within 30 days if it doesn't arrive.
Electricity North West announces planned cuts by letter (and increasingly text or email) 2 to 8 days in advance. Most run 8am to 6pm and last 2 to 8 hours. Planned cuts do not qualify for Ofgem compensation unless your DNO failed to give adequate notice (a £40 payment applies then).
Power cuts in nearby areas
Other counties close to Greater Manchester — useful if your storm or fault crosses council boundaries.
Cheshire
SP Energy Networks
Lancashire
Electricity North West
Staffordshire
National Grid Electricity Distribution
West Yorkshire
Northern Powergrid
Merseyside
SP Energy Networks
Derbyshire
National Grid Electricity Distribution
Shropshire
National Grid Electricity Distribution
South Yorkshire
Northern Powergrid
Other counties served by Electricity North West
Same operator, same emergency number, similar restoration patterns and compensation framework.