Sheffield is South Yorkshire's largest city, long known as the historic capital of British steelmaking, home to around 555,000 people. Like everywhere in Great Britain, the energy market here splits into two halves that are easy to confuse: the supplier you pay your bills to, and the distribution network operator (DNO) that physically delivers electricity to your meter. You can change your supplier whenever you like; you cannot change your network operator.
This guide covers both: who runs the gas and electricity networks in Sheffield, the emergency numbers you need when something goes wrong, the typical energy use of a Sheffield home, and how to make sure you are not overpaying after a move.
Who supplies gas and electricity in Sheffield?
There is no single "Sheffield energy company". Every household is free to choose from the full list of licensed UK suppliers, and switching takes around five working days under the Energy Switch Guarantee. The major suppliers active across Sheffield today include Octopus Energy, British Gas, EDF, E.ON Next and OVO.
Historically, Sheffield's incumbent electricity supplier was Npower, a legacy of the old regional electricity board. Npower's domestic supply business closed in 2019 and its customers were transferred to E.ON Next, so if you have inherited an "Npower" account at a new address it will now be served by E.ON Next.
Sheffield distribution network operators
Your network operators are set by location and are the same whoever you buy your energy from. In Sheffield, electricity is delivered by Northern Powergrid and gas by Northern Gas Networks. These are the companies to contact about supply faults, power cuts, new connections or moving a meter.
Electricity network
Northern Powergrid
- Power-cut line
- 105
- Emergency (direct)
- 0800 375 675
- General enquiries
- 0800 011 3332
- Network area
- Yorkshire
Gas network
Northern Gas Networks
- Gas emergency
- 0800 111 999
- General enquiries
- 0800 640 7766
- Smell gas?
- Call immediately, day or night
What to do in a power cut in Sheffield
If the lights go out in Sheffield, the company to contact is your network operator, Northern Powergrid, not your energy supplier. The quickest route is to dial 105, the free national power-cut number, which automatically connects you to Northern Powergrid from any landline or mobile.
Power-cut checklist
- Check whether neighbours are affected too, if only your home is dark, check your trip switch first.
- Dial 105 (free) or Northern Powergrid direct on 0800 375 675.
- Track the fault and estimated fix time on the Northern Powergrid live power-cut map.
- Smell gas? Leave it to the gas network: call 0800 111 999 immediately and ventilate the room.
- Vulnerable or reliant on electrical medical equipment? Sign up free to the Priority Services Register for extra support.
Average energy use in Sheffield
As a rough benchmark, a typical Sheffield household uses around the figures below each quarter. They are useful for sense-checking your own bills, but the pounds you actually pay depend entirely on your tariff and the current price cap, so use them as a guide rather than a quote.
| Fuel | Typical quarterly use (Sheffield) | UK typical annual use (Ofgem) |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 729 kWh | 2,700 kWh |
| Gas | 2,642 kWh | 11,500 kWh |
Quarterly figures: British Gas Energy Consumption Checker. UK annual figures: Ofgem typical domestic consumption values.
How to switch energy supplier when you move to Sheffield
When you move into a new Sheffield home you are automatically placed on the previous occupier's supplier under a deemed contract, almost always the most expensive rate available. Switching away from it is the single easiest saving you can make. Here is the order to do it in:
- Take a meter reading on move-in day and photograph the meters;
- Find out who the existing supplier is and open an account so you are billed correctly from day one;
- Compare tariffs at your new postcode and pick the cheapest fixed or variable deal;
- Submit the switch, your supply never gets interrupted and there is no break in service.
Sheffield energy: frequently asked questions
You can buy your electricity from any UK supplier, British Gas, Octopus Energy, EDF, E.ON Next, OVO and others all serve Sheffield. If you have just moved in and do not know who supplies the property, call the Meter Point Administration Service (MPAS) on 0845 601 4516 or check a recent bill left by the previous occupier. Your supplier is who you pay; it is not the same as your network operator, which in Sheffield is Northern Powergrid.
To find out who currently supplies gas to a Sheffield address, call the Meter Number Helpline on 0870 608 1524 and quote the postcode. As with electricity, you are free to switch to any supplier. The gas network that delivers it through the pipes, and who you call in a gas emergency, is Northern Gas Networks.
Dial 105, the free, nationwide power-cut line that routes you straight to Northern Powergrid, the network operator for Sheffield. You can also call them directly on 0800 375 675. Never call your supplier about a power cut; they do not run the wires. For a gas emergency or the smell of gas, call the National Gas Emergency line on 0800 111 999.
The wholesale cost of energy is the same everywhere, but standing charges and unit rates vary slightly by region because each local network costs a different amount to run. Yorkshire sits close to the UK average. The single biggest factor in your bill is still the tariff you are on, switching off a deemed or standard variable tariff typically saves a Sheffield household £200 to £300 a year. Compare deals at your postcode to see the difference.