DNO Lookup: How to Find Your Electricity Network Operator
Last reviewed: 24 July 2026. To notify yourDNO about a plug-in solar installation, first find the network operator for your address. This page shows you how to do that by postcode, what a DNO actually is, and where the answer goes when you send the form.
6
DNOs in Great Britain
Free
G98 notification cost
28 days
Notification deadline
Postcode
How to find your DNO
Use our free tool to find your DNO
Our G98 form generator works out the likely network operator from your postcode area, then asks you to check it before you download the notification. You don't need a separate hunt through network company websites unless the result looks odd.
What a DNO is
A DNO (Distribution Network Operator) is the company that owns and looks after the electricity cables between your home and the national grid. There are six DNOs in Great Britain, each with its own geographic patch.
Your DNO is not the same as your electricity supplier. The supplier is the company that bills you (Octopus, British Gas, EDF, etc.). The DNO is the company responsible for the wires. Most of us get through life without knowing who that is, which is nice, until solar makes the question unavoidable.
When you install plug-in solar from 27 August 2026, you must send a G98 notification to your DNO within 28 days. The DNO doesn't approve or refuse the installation. It records it on the network register so its engineers know there is a generator at your address.
DNO vs electricity supplier — the difference
Your electricity supplier sells you electricity and sends the bill (e.g. Octopus Energy, EDF, British Gas). Your DNO maintains the physical cables and records the network connection. You can switch supplier whenever you like, but your DNO is set by your address. For a G98 notification, send it to the DNO.
Find your DNO by postcode
Postcode is the quick route. Each DNO covers a set of postcode areas, and our G98 form generator maps your postcode to the most likely DNO automatically. If you want to check it yourself, do this:
- Enter your postcode in the G98 form generator — it suggests the likely DNO from your postcode area, then asks you to confirm before it builds the PDF.
- Check the table below. Look for the first one or two letters of your postcode, such as
SWinSW1A 1AA, and match that area to the DNO shown. - Check your electricity bill if you're not sure. Some bills print the DNO name near the MPAN/Supply Number box. You can also call your electricity supplier and ask which DNO covers your address.
- Use the ENA DNO lookup tool if you want the official postcode check.
Postcode area is a guide, not a guarantee
Some postcode areas cross DNO boundaries. The first one or two letters usually point to one DNO, but a few individual postcodes inside that area can sit with a neighbouring DNO. Our tool flags this and asks you to confirm the suggested DNO before it generates the PDF. If it feels wrong, check your bill or use the ENA lookup above.
DNO regions and contact details
The table lists all six Great Britain DNOs, plus Northern Ireland Networks because Northern Ireland is under a separate regime. Use it to sanity-check your postcode area, find a phone number, and see the submission email where one is published.
| DNO | Region covered | Postcode area examples | Phone | G98 submission email |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Power Networks | London, South East and East of England | SE, SW, E, EC, WC, N, NW, EN, IG, RM, SM, KT, TW, CR, BR, DA, ME, TN, CT, BN, RH, LU, CM, SS, CO, IP, NR, PE, CB, MK, HP, SG, AL, WD, HA, UB, W | 0800 029 4285 | connections.gateway@ukpowernetworks.co.uk |
| National Grid Electricity Distribution | South West, Midlands and South Wales | B, BS, BA, CF, EX, GL, HR, LD, LE, NN, NP, PL, SA, ST, TA, TQ, TR, WR, WS, WV, DE, DY, CV, NG, TF | 0800 096 3080 | See portal |
| SP Energy Networks | Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and central/southern Scotland | CH, DG, EH, FK, G, KA, KY, LL, L, ML, NP, PA, SY, TD | 0330 101 0300 | connections@spenergynetworks.co.uk |
| Northern Powergrid | Yorkshire, the North East and northern Lincolnshire | BD, DH, DL, DN, HD, HG, HU, LN, LS, NE, S, SR, TS, WF, YO | 0800 011 3332 | connections@northernpowergrid.com |
| SSEN Distribution | Northern Scotland and southern England | AB, DD, DT, GU, IV, KW, PH, PO, RG, SL, SN, SO, SP, ZE, BH, OX | 0800 048 3515 | connections@sse.com |
| Electricity North West | North West England | BB, BL, CA, CW, FY, LA, M, OL, PR, SK, WA, WN | 0800 048 1820 | connections@enwl.co.uk |
| Northern Ireland Networks | Northern Ireland (separate regime — not covered by SI 2026/848) | BT | 0330 101 0300 | connections@nienetworks.co.uk |
Contact details were checked on 23 July 2026 against DNO corporate websites. Northern Ireland Networks is under a separate regime and is not covered by SI 2026/848 (the plug-in solar legalisation for Great Britain).
Why the DNO needs to know
After you install a plug-in solar kit from 27 August 2026, you have 28 days to send a G98 notification to your DNO. That notification says a small generator is now connected at your address. It matters for two practical reasons:
- Engineer safety: engineers working on the local network need to know which homes have generators connected, so they can take the right precautions during maintenance or power cuts.
- Network records: the DNO keeps a register of connected generators. Better records help it plan network upgrades and manage capacity as more homes add solar.
You don't need the DNO’s permission to install plug-in solar. G98 is a notification, not an application. You install first, then notify within 28 days. For the wider rules, read our G98 Notification Guide. For the boxes on the form, use the G98 Form Walkthrough.
Send the G98 notification
DNOs take G98 notifications by email or through an online portal. Our G98 form generator checks the route for the DNO you confirm and shows it on the final screen. In practice, it works like this:
- Email DNOs(UK Power Networks, SP Energy Networks, Northern Powergrid, SSEN, Electricity North West): attach the completed G98 PDF and any supporting evidence the DNO asks for, then send it to the DNO’s connections email address.
- Portal DNOs(National Grid Electricity Distribution): use the DNO’s online connections portal to upload the form and supporting documents. Our tool links to the correct portal page.
- Supporting evidence: some DNOs ask for the inverter's type-test certificate or the ENA Connect Direct registration entry. The tool tells you what each DNO wants.
Keep a copy of what you send
Save the PDF and keep a screenshot or sent-email confirmation. You may need the record if you move house, register for SEG payments, or need to talk to the DNO later.
What about independent DNOs?
Alongside the six regional DNOs, Independent Distribution Network Operators (IDNOs) own and run smaller parts of the network inside DNO regions. You see this quite often on newer housing developments and some commercial sites. If you live on a fairly new estate, your connection may belong to an IDNO rather than the regional DNO.
If you're unsure, check your electricity bill or ask your supplier. For G98 notification purposes, notify the network operator that physically owns your connection, whether that's the regional DNO or an IDNO. Our tool defaults to the regional DNO for your postcode; if you know you're on an IDNO connection, use that operator’s contact details instead.
Questions people ask
Is my DNO my electricity supplier?
No. Your electricity supplier (Octopus, EDF, British Gas, etc.) bills you for the electricity you use. Your DNO looks after the physical cables. You can switch supplier, but your DNO is tied to where you live. Send the G98 notification to the DNO.
What if my home is in Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland has a separate electricity safety regime and is not covered by SI 2026/848 (the plug-in solar legalisation for Great Britain). If you live there, check local guidance from Northern Ireland Networks before buying or installing a plug-in solar kit.
Do I need to ask the DNO before installing?
No. G98 is a notification, not an application. You install first, then notify within 28 days. You don't need the DNO’s permission for a compliant plug-in solar kit under 800 VA.
What if I send the G98 to the wrong DNO?
The wrong DNO will usually forward the notification to the right one, but it can slow things down. Use our G98 form generator to confirm the DNO before sending, or check your electricity bill if you're unsure.
Can I find my DNO without using a postcode?
Yes. Your electricity bill often prints the DNO name near the MPAN / Supply Number box. If it doesn't, call your electricity supplier and ask which DNO covers the address. They should know, even if the first person you speak to has to look it up.
Find the DNO, then make the form
This page was last reviewed on 24 July 2026. It is guidance only, not legal advice. DNO contact details can change, so check the DNO’s website before you submit.