G98 notification guide: how to tell the network about your solar kit

What is G98?

ENA G98 Issue 2 Amendment 1 2026 is an Engineering Recommendation from the Energy Networks Association (ENA), the trade body for Great Britain’s electricity network operators. It tells small generators how they can connect to the low-voltage network. The limit is up to 16 A per phase, or 3.68 kW on a single-phase supply. A plug-in solar kit up to 800 VA sits inside that.

On 11 August 2026, Ofgem approved DCRP/MP/26/02, the modification that amends G98 to give plug-in solar a formal grid-connection route. The amendment confirms one plug-in kit per household (G98 takes precedence over the IPS one-per-circuit wording), allows a plug-in kit to run alongside existing solar within the 16 A per phase limit, and introduces a consumer self-notification process. The ENA now runs the consumer portal at myplugin.solar, where homeowners verify by email code, confirm the address, select the device, and submit.

G98 covers the inverter requirements, including anti-islanding protection and the voltage, frequency, and power-quality settings. It also deals with labelling and the notification form. The useful point is this: G98 is a notification route, not an approval route. If the kit is type-tested and within the limits, you connect it and notify within 28 days — no prior approval needed. But the DNO can still assess the notification, query it, or reject it if the installation is out of scope or the details are wrong, so the details you send have to be right.

Plain version: G98 is the rulebook that lets a small solar kit connect to the grid, plus the form you send so the network knows it exists.

When do you need a G98 notification?

You need a G98 notification when you install a small generator that connects to the grid and is within 16 A per phase. For plug-in solar, that covers anything from one 400 W panel up to the 800 VA AC output legal maximum. It doesn’t matter whether you fitted it yourself or paid someone to help. The person responsible for the installation is responsible for the notification.

G98 normally covers these:

• Plug-in solar kits connected through a standard 13 A socket.
• Small solar arrays on a dedicated consumer-unit breaker, if total capacity is under 16 A per phase.
• Micro wind turbines or micro hydro systems under the same limit.
• Inverter-based generators type-tested to G98 and under 3.68 kW per phase.

You don’t need G98 for a purely off-grid setup, because it isn’t connected to the mains. You also don’t need it for a portable power station that only charges a battery and never exports to the grid. The test is simple: if it can feed the house supply, assume the network wants to know.

The 28-day rule

The 28 days start when you first energise the system. In normal language, that means the day you plug it in and it starts generating. It isn’t the day the box arrived, and it isn’t the day you finally got round to fixing the panels in place.

There’s no fee for G98 notification. You send the form by the route your network operator publishes, which may be email or a portal. The notification records that your generator exists and meets the G98 technical requirements. An in-scope notification doesn’t need prior approval — the operator logs it and may acknowledge receipt — but they can assess it, query it, or push back if the installation falls outside G98 or the form doesn’t add up.

If you move and take the kit, file a fresh G98 notification for the new address. If you remove it for good, tell the network operator so their records stop pretending you have a generator. Practical takeaway: keep the date you first switched it on.

G98 vs G99: the difference

G98 and G99 are both ENA Engineering Recommendations. They split the world by generator size, then give you very different admin chores:

The easy version: a plug-in solar kit that meets the IPS product limit (800 VA, 3.5 A) and is within the G98 threshold (16 A per phase) sits in G98 and you notify after connection. The 800 VA limit is the plug-in solar product cap, not the G98 ceiling — non-plug-in microgenerators up to 16 A per phase can also use G98. Go over 16 A per phase and you’re in G99, which means permission first. Connecting a G99-scale system without prior approval may breach the Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations and can end with the network operator disconnecting it.

Plug-in solar kits sold for the Great Britain 13 A socket market should be designed to stay inside the G98 limit. Still, check the inverter’s rated AC output. If it says 800 VA or less, you’re in G98 territory.

How to notify your electricity network

Preparing the notification should take about five minutes once the details are to hand. This is what you actually do:

1. Find the network that covers your area. The network operator is based on where you live, not who sends your electricity bill. You can use our G98 form generator, which suggests the likely network from your postcode area and asks you to confirm it. You can also use the network contact list below.
2. Complete the G98 notification form. It asks for the installation address, contact details, inverter make and model, total capacity in kW, number of panels, and installation date. Our free G98 form generator adds the confirmed network submission details and produces a printable PDF.
3. Send it to your network. Some networks take email. Others push you into an online portal. The route we’ve checked for each Great Britain network is in the network contact list below.
4. Keep proof. Save the acknowledgement or portal reference. You’ll probably need it when you register for the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG).

How to fill in the G98 form

The G98 notification form is one page. It looks more official than it feels once you know what each box wants. Whether you fill it by hand, download the ENA template, or use our generator, the fields are the same.

The form also asks you to declare that the installation complies with G98. If your inverter is on the ENA G98 Type Test Register, that is the evidence you want to keep. Yes, that’s a real thing they ask for.

What happens if you don’t notify?

If you miss the 28-day deadline, it’s worth fixing it rather than hoping nobody notices.

• The network may not know the generator exists. That matters for safety. If engineers are working on local cables, they need accurate records. Anti-islanding protection should stop backfeed, but networks still plan work using their records.
• SEG registration can stall. SEG-licensed suppliers ask for evidence of G98 or G99 notification before they pay for exports. No notification means no SEG payments.
• The network operator can require disconnection. If they discover an unregistered generator, they can tell you to disconnect it until the paperwork is sorted.
• Insurance may get messy. Some home insurance policies expect you to disclose electrical modifications. If an unregistered generator causes a network issue, a claim may get awkward.

In practice, network operators usually want the notification, not a fight. If you’ve already installed the kit and missed the deadline, submit it now. Late is better than invisible. Use our free G98 form generator to make the form and send it today.

Network contact list for G98

Great Britain has fourteen licence areas operated by six distribution groups, plus Northern Ireland Networks. Your network depends on your address, not your supplier. The table shows the G98 submission route we’ve checked for each network.

Contact details verified August 2026 against network operator websites andENAguidance. Check the current submission method on the network operator’s website before you send anything.

Common questions