Northern Powergrid
Northern Powergrid is the electricity distribution network operator (DNO) for the North East, Yorkshire, northern Lincolnshire.
Contact Phone Numbers and Email
General enquiries – 0800 011 3332, lines open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Power cuts – Call 105, lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
New connections – 0800 011 3433, lines are open Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 9am-5pm
Complaints – Call – 0800 781 8848, lines are 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Address
Northern Powergrid
Manor House
Station Road
Penshaw
Houghton-le-Spring
DH4 7LA
Website: https://www.northernpowergrid.com/
Check If Northern Powergrid is Your Distribution Operator
You can check if Northern Powergrid is your distribution network operator on the Energy Networks Association website.
What Does Northern Powergrid Do?
Northern Powergrid is one of 14 distribution network operators across the UK and they are responsible for the electricity distribution network in the North East, Yorkshire, northern Lincolnshire.
Northern Powergrid is responsible for:
- The maintenance and upgrading of 60,000 miles of overhead and underground power lines
- Maintenance of the 63,000 sub-stations and transformers within their network
- Reducing the voltage of the National Grid electricity to a useable voltage
- Returning excess electricity to the National Grid
- Supplying 3.9 million homes and businesses with electricity within their network
- Responding to power cuts
- Repairing damaged or faulty lines and equipment
- Dealing with any health and safety issues on the distribution network
- Connecting new homes and businesses to the electricity network
- Connecting small electricity generators to the electricity network
- Relocating electricity cables
Northern Powergrid is not responsible for the National Grid but they do connect to it to obtain electricity to serve its customers.
Northern Powergrid is also not responsible for the retail of electricity they just provide the network that the electricity is distributed on and it is the electricity supplier who sells the electricity to you. The electricity suppliers will pass on the cost of using Northern Powergrid’s network to supply electricity to its customers in their area.
History of Northern Powergrid
The electricity industry in the UK prior to 1948 was made up of hundreds of separate private companies and local authority undertakings, but as a result of the Electricity Act 1947, these companies were nationalised and merged into regional electricity boards. The North East was served by North Eastern Electricity Board (NEEB), and Yorkshire was served by Yorkshire Electricity Board (YEB).
In 1990, the energy industry in the UK was privatised and each of the area electricity boards were sold by the government to private companies. North Eastern Electricity Board became Northern Electric, and Yorkshire Electricity Board became Yorkshire Electricity.
Northern Electric was purchased by CalEnergy in 1996 and they formed a subsidiary called CE Electric to run the electricity distribution network. The electricity supply part of the business was exchanged for the Yorkshire Electricity distribution network with npower in 2001. Northern Electric was then renamed Northern Electric Distribution Limited (NEDL) and Yorkshire Electricity was renamed Yorkshire Electricity Distribution Limited (YEDL). They were then subsequently renamed as a collective as Northern Powergrid.
What to Do in the Event of a Power Cut
If you experience a power cut you should call 105 to report it, these lines are open 24 hours a day seven days a week.
You can also check Northern Powergrid’s website for reported power cuts and track the progress of them. They also have a guide on what to do in the event of a power cut.
Can I Move My Meter?
If you want to move your electricity meter more than one meter from its existing location or it affects the position of your electricity service provision then you will need to contact Northern Powergrid’s to complete a service alteration form.
Your electricity meter will need to be moved by the energy company, but the external electricity supply will be moved by Northern Powergrid. You may also need an electrician to connect the relocated meter with your electricity consumer unit.
Other Services Northern Powergrid Offer
Northern Powergrid also offers several other energy-related services:
- Turnkey engineering solutions
- Upstream oil and gas projects
- Check before you dig service to find out where electricity cables are located
- Safety advice services
- Tree cutting near power lines
- School safety talks
Priority Services Register
Both the Distribution Network Operators and the energy suppliers maintain a Priority Services Register for tracking vulnerable customers who may need additional support. This register is used by Northern Powergrid when a power cut occurs to provide additional support if needed to these priority customers who are affected by a power cut.
Complaints
If you need to make a complaint, you can contact to Northern Powergrid:
- Call – 0800 781 8848
- Write – Customer Care Team, Manor House, Station Road, Penshaw, Houghton-le-Spring, DH4 7LA.
If you are not happy with the final outcome or the complaint has not been resolved within eight weeks you can escalate your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman.