New business energy connections: electricity and gas

Opening a new unit, converting a building or taking on a site that has never had gas or power is not like switching supplier. The network company has to connect you first, and only then can a supplier fit a meter and start billing.

This guide walks through both electricity and gas, with the deadlines network companies have to meet.

Who do I contact for a new business connection?

For a new electricity supply you apply to the distribution network operator (DNO) for your area, and for a new gas supply to the gas distribution network. Your energy supplier is separate: you need one to install the meter and bill you.

Ofgem says you need a connection if you are building new business premises, have no gas or electricity at your property, want to install your own generation, or need to move a meter. In some cases independent providers can do the work instead of the network company.

• Electricity: find your DNO by postcode on the Energy Networks Association (ENA) website. Our guide to what a DNO is lists all 14 regions.
• Gas: four companies run Britain’s eight regional gas networks: Cadent, Northern Gas Networks, SGN and Wales and West Utilities. The ENA postcode tool also shows your gas network.

How does a new electricity connection work?

These are the main steps.

1. Work out how much capacity you need. National Grid Electricity Distribution recommends talking first to an accredited electrical contractor, who can assess your requirement allowing for “diversity” (not everything running at full power at once). A realistic figure can mean cheaper equipment and, for larger sites, a lower ongoing capacity charge.
2. Ask for a budget estimate (optional). If you just want a ballpark cost, a DNO should send a budget estimate within 10 working days for capacity under 1 MVA, or 20 working days for 1 MVA or more, or pay you £75.
3. Apply for a formal quote. The DNO must meet the deadlines in the table below once it has the information and any fee it needs.
4. Accept and pay. Ofgem says you will probably need to pay in advance. The price depends on the work, your location and how much energy you need, and is worked out using the DNO’s connection charging methodology. Ofgem approves the methodology but not individual charges.
5. Get your MPAN. SSEN, for example, sends the new MPAN once you have accepted and paid, and given it the property’s full Royal Mail postal address. For connections over 69kVA it needs extra technical information from your electrical contractor.
6. Book your supplier and meter. See the section on choosing a supplier below.

Ofgem also says your network operator must give you terms for a connection within three months, including how it has worked out the charge.

How long does a DNO have to quote?

The Electricity (Connection Standards of Performance) Regulations 2015 set deadlines for quotes, and payments to you if the DNO misses them. These are the amounts in force since the table was updated on 1 October 2023.

Type of connection	Quote deadline	Payment if late
Single LV service: single-phase, one premises, just a service line and fuses	5 working days	£20 per working day
Small project: for example one premises needing a two or three-phase whole-current supply up to 100 amps per phase	15 working days	£20 per working day
Other low-voltage (LV) connections	25 working days	£75 per working day
High-voltage (HV) connections	35 working days	£160 per working day
Extra-high-voltage (EHV) connections	65 working days	£235 per working day
Budget estimate	10 working days (under 1 MVA) or 20 (1 MVA or more)	£75

The regulations set out some exceptions where payments do not apply, so ask your DNO to explain if a deadline is missed.

Can someone other than the DNO do the work?

Yes. Ofgem explains that some parts of the job, known as contestable work, can be done by a registered electrician or engineer, which can bring costs down. It suggests asking for quotes that split contestable and non-contestable costs. The network operator may need to agree or inspect the work.

Companies accredited to do contestable work are called independent connection providers (ICPs). LRQA runs the National Electricity Registration Scheme (NERS) on behalf of the DNOs, and accredited providers can design connections, dig and fill trenches, and install switches and transformers. You can search for a NERS provider on LRQA’s website.

What is an IDNO?

Some premises are connected to an independent distribution network operator (IDNO) rather than the regional DNO. The ENA describes IDNOs as operators that look after smaller parts of the network. SSEN notes that it does not issue MPANs on IDNO networks, because IDNOs register and issue their own.

Planning a larger connection?

If you expect demand above 100kW, or you will be agreeing a Maximum Import Capacity (MIC) in kVA, read our guide to half-hourly meters before you settle on a figure. National Grid Electricity Distribution says it will not allow an agreed MIC to be reduced for 12 months, and capacity you later give back may be used elsewhere on the network.

How does a new business gas connection work?

Each gas network runs its own process. Here is how Cadent, which runs four of the eight regional networks, handles commercial connections:

1. Apply online or by phone.
2. Decide on the meter location, making sure there is a clear route to the front of the property for the service pipe.
3. Receive your quote. You have up to 90 days to return your signed acceptance and pay.
4. Site visit to confirm requirements and book the work.
5. Works. Cadent says it takes 6 to 8 weeks on average from payment to carry out the work.

Before applying, Cadent asks for the full address, the property owner’s name and phone number, where the meter will go, whether there is private land between the property and the road, the distance from the meter to the boundary, and approved planning permission and site plans for new builds.

Once you accept the quote, Cadent gives you a Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN). You need it to ask your chosen supplier to install the gas meter. See our guide to MPRN numbers.

Who is responsible for what?

Cadent sets out the split clearly:

• The gas network owns and maintains the pipes up to the emergency control valve, which sits before your meter.
• Your supplier owns the meter, installs and maintains it, and bills you.
• The property owner is responsible for the pipework from the meter to your appliances.

Other routes for gas

• Utility infrastructure providers (UIPs): Cadent says alternative companies can make a new connection, alter pipework or disconnect services. They are listed on the LRQA website.
• Independent gas transporters (IGTs): Xoserve describes these as companies that develop, operate and maintain local networks of pipes. Some sites are supplied through one.
• A meter but no MPRN: Cadent’s advice is to contact a supplier, who will start the process of creating an MPRN. If there is a gas service but no meter, a “live/dead” check is needed first.

Choosing a supplier and getting meters fitted

The network company connects you, but it does not sell you energy.

• Choose early. Ofgem advises arranging your supplier at the same time as your connection to avoid delays. SSEN says supplier registration normally takes at least 28 days, and that the supplier is likely to need at least 10 working days’ notice to fit the meter on the day the connection is completed.
• Expect a smart meter. Suppliers must take all reasonable steps to install a compliant smart meter wherever a meter is installed for the first time. Larger sites (electricity profile classes 5 to 8 and 00, or gas over 732 MWh a year) must be supplied through an advanced meter. See our guide to smart meters for business.
• Agree a contract before you use energy. Our guide to deemed contracts explains how supply works when no contract has been agreed.
• Taking over an existing supply instead? That is a change of tenancy, not a new connection.

When you are ready to compare prices for your new site, start with business electricity or business gas.

Moving or altering a connection

Ofgem says you should contact your network operator to alter an existing connection, and your supplier to move a meter. It is illegal to move an energy meter yourself.

What if something goes wrong?

Network operators must pay compensation when they miss guaranteed standards, such as the quote deadlines above. If you cannot resolve a problem with a network operator:

• in England and Wales, Citizens Advice can help on 0808 223 1133
• in Scotland, Advice Direct Scotland can help on 0808 196 8660
• Ofgem can resolve some disputes over connections to energy networks

Frequently asked questions