SP Energy Networks: who are they and what do they do?

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SP Energy Networks is one of the 14 Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) that move power around the UK. These DNOs are the people that actually deliver the electricity to your home. They maintain the power lines and cables that crisscross the country and are responsible for fixing faults and ensuring a reliable supply of energy to all corners of the UK. No matter which energy company you’re signed up to, your power will come from your local DNO.
Last updated: November 2022

SP Energy Networks covers a large area of the UK, supplying power to homes and businesses in Central and Southern Scotland, Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, and North Shropshire. If you live in one of these areas, SP Energy Networks should be your first port of call in case of a power cut. They are also the people to speak to if you want to move your electricity meter or make a complaint about the supply of energy to your home.

What do SP Energy Networks do?

SP Energy Networks is responsible for supplying electricity to thousands of homes and businesses in large parts of Scotland and north-west England. In order to ensure a reliable supply of electricity, SP Energy Networks is constantly working to maintain and upgrade the cables and power lines that carry energy around the country.

Altogether, the company is responsible for the maintenance and upgrading of:

  • 40,000km of overhead power lines
  • 65,000km of underground power lines
  • 30,000 sub-stations and transformers

How Does SP Energy Networks deliver electricity to my home?

The energy that arrives at your home all comes from the National Grid. The National Grid covers the entire country. It collects energy from coal and nuclear power stations, wind and solar farms, hydroelectric plants and other energy generators.

Distribution Network Operators, like SP Energy Networks, are responsible for maintaining regional sections of the infrastructure that makes up the grid. They aren’t responsible for the grid itself, but they do connect to it in order to supply power to the homes and businesses in their areas.

If you live in an area that’s supplied by SP Energy Networks, the company will be constantly working to ensure you have access to energy at all times. As well as maintaining the infrastructure that carries electricity around the country, this involves:

  • Reducing the voltage of the transmission grid’s electricity to a usable voltage
  • Returning excess electricity to the transmission grid
  • Responding to power cuts
  • Repairing faulty or damaged equipment
  • Connecting new homes and businesses to the grid
  • Relocating electricity cables

What services do SP Energy Networks offer?

If you live in Central or Southern Scotland, Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales or North Shropshire, SP Energy Networks will be the company supplying energy to your home. However, although the brand is responsible for providing you with power, you probably won’t deal with them directly.

Energy providers, like SP Energy Networks’ parent company Scottish Power, pay DNOs to supply power to their customers’ homes. It will be your energy provider that will set the cost of your energy, offer you fuel deals and take payment for your energy usage.

However, there are some occasions when you’ll need to get in touch with SP Energy directly.

Power cuts

if there’s a power cut in your local area, you may want to get in touch with the company to find out what’s going on. If there are planned works in your street or neighbourhood, they should be able to tell you how long the power will be out for.
If the electricity supply has failed because of damage to the infrastructure – like a tree falling on a line during a storm – calling SP Energy Networks will notify the company of the issue and ensure its dealt with as quickly as possible.
If there is a power cut in your local area, you can call the company by dialling 105. Alternatively, call 0800 092 9290 if you’re in Central or Southern Scotland or 0800 001 5400 if you’re in Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales or North Shropshire.

Upgrades

As well as dealing with power cuts, SP Energy Networks is also responsible for upgrading electrical cables and connecting homes and businesses to the grid. So if you’ve built a new home and need to get it hooked up to electricity, or if you think your connection could do with an upgrade, they’re the ones to call.

Finding out which company supplies your energy

You should also get in touch with SP Energy Networks if you don’t know which company supplies the energy to your home. This is important if you’ve just moved house and need to find out which company currently supplies the property.

More info

Moving your meter

If you need to move your electricity meter for any reason, you’ll need to get in touch with SP Energy Networks first. Although it will be your energy supplier that relocates the meter in your home, they will need to move the external cables to ensure a safe and secure energy supply to the property.

Reporting a fault with the equipment

If you spot a fault with any electricity power lines in your local area, you should get in touch with SP Energy Networks to report the issue. Letting them know about damage to the infrastructure as quickly as possible will allow the company to rectify the issue fast and minimise disruption to the local energy supply.
SP energy networks

Who owns SP Energy?

SP Energy is owned by energy provider Scottish Power. Scottish Power is one of the big six energy providers in the UK, supplying energy to around five million customers. Scottish Power in turn is a subsidiary of Iberdrola, a Spanish utility firm based in Bilbao.

What is the SP Energy Networks Priority Register?

All Distribution Network Operators and energy suppliers maintain a priority register to keep track of vulnerable customers. If there is power cut in the area, or if there is another issue with the energy supply, SP Energy Networks can use the register to identify vulnerable people living nearby and offer them additional support. If you think you, or a loved one, should be on the register, get in touch with the company as soon as possible.

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FAQ

☎️ When to contact SP Energy?

There are a number of reasons you may need to get in touch with SP Energy Networks. The most common reason to contact the company is to report a power cut. You’ll also need to get in touch with SP Energy Networks if you want to move the electricity meter in your home, connect a new home or business to the grid or find out about the service in your area.

☎️ SP Energy Networks contact number

If you need to get in touch with SP Energy Networks to report a power cut, request a meter relocation, report an issue or find out about the electricity supply in your area, the number to call is 0330 10 10 444. If you need to report a power cut, the number is 105. Alternatively, you can email SP Energy Networks. The address is customercare@spenergynetworks.com

⚡ What to do if there is a SP Energy Networks power cut?

If you live in an area that’s covered by SP Energy Networks - Central and Southern Scotland, Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales or North Shropshire – and there’s a power cut in your area, you should report it to the company.
SP Energy Networks has a dedicated power cut hotline. The number is 105. Alternatively, you can also call 0800 092 9290 if you’re in central or southern Scotland, or 0800 001 5400 if you live in the parts of England covered by the network.

When you get in touch with the DNO, they’ll be able to tell you if work is already underway to fix the issue and when you can expect to have power restored to your property. In most cases, power cuts won’t last for long. However, if the infrastructure has been hit by a large storm or another significant event, it might take a while to get your home back online.

‍♂️ Is SP Energy Networks my energy supplier?

SP Energy Networks is a Distribution Network Operator, not an energy supplier. This means that, while they supply the energy to your home, they don’t generate it or deal directly with customers.

Your energy supplier will be the company listed on your energy bill. Your energy supplier will pay SP Energy Networks to connect your home to the grid and supply it with energy. If you have a question about your tariff, bill or energy usage, it’s your supplier you need to call. If you want to know about the energy infrastructure in your area or find out about a local power cut, you should get in touch with SP Energy Networks.

Updated on 29 Jan, 2024

William Dautel

UK Content Manager

William is a content marketing specialist. After 3 years writing brand strategies he joined papernest to help create the best content to help people handle and save on their utilities.

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