Portal
connections.nationalgrid.co.uk (different to Northern Powergrid)
NGED — secondary DNO
NGED solar G98 / G99 help for western Durham
For the small western edge of our service area covered by NGED (National Grid Electricity Distribution) rather than Northern Powergrid. We hold credentials on both DNO portals and submit applications in-house — you never deal with either operator directly.
When NGED applies
NGED operates in a small western strip of our service area — typically around Alston Moor, upper Weardale, and Yorkshire Dales fringe villages. About 5% of our customers fall into NGED rather than Northern Powergrid. Check your electricity bill to confirm which DNO serves you.
Application time
14-28 working days residential, 30-90 days commercial
Fees
Free for residential under 16 kVA; £400-£2,500 commercial study fees (aligned with all UK DNOs)
Capacity map
connections.nationalgrid.co.uk/maps — colour-coded network headroom by area
Our accreditations
Accredited, certified, and backed by independent standards
NICEIC Approved
D124458
Electrical contractor
Gas Safe Register
947841
Gas appliances
Heat Geek Trained
Heat pump design specialists
TrustMark
Government endorsed
Quality scheme
SafeContractor
Approved
H&S accredited
ISO 9001
2015
Quality management
ISO 14001
2015
Environmental management
ISO 45001
2018
OH&S management
PAS 2030
:2019
Retrofit standard
NAPIT
Member
Electrical inspection
F-Gas Certified
Air conditioning refrigerant
NICEIC Approved
D124458
Electrical contractor
Gas Safe Register
947841
Gas appliances
Heat Geek Trained
Heat pump design specialists
TrustMark
Government endorsed
Quality scheme
SafeContractor
Approved
H&S accredited
ISO 9001
2015
Quality management
ISO 14001
2015
Environmental management
ISO 45001
2018
OH&S management
PAS 2030
:2019
Retrofit standard
NAPIT
Member
Electrical inspection
F-Gas Certified
Air conditioning refrigerant
Every accreditation listed is independently verified. We carry the registration numbers — ask for any on request.
NGED — your questions
Where does NGED operate?
NGED — National Grid Electricity Distribution, formerly Western Power Distribution — covers the Midlands, South West, South Wales and Mid Wales as primary regions. In our service area (the North East) NGED operates only in a small western strip — typically around Alston, the upper Tees Valley, parts of Weardale, and Yorkshire Dales fringe villages. About 5% of our customer geography falls into NGED rather than Northern Powergrid.
How do I know if my property is NGED or Northern Powergrid?
The simplest check: look at your electricity bill. The DNO is listed by name and registration number. Alternatively, enter your postcode at energynetworks.org/customers/find-my-network-operator to see which DNO serves your area. For most North East postcodes the answer is Northern Powergrid; for the western County Durham fringe and rural Pennine villages, it's NGED.
Does NGED process applications differently to Northern Powergrid?
Same underlying standards (G98 / G99 / ENA frameworks) but different application portal (connections.nationalgrid.co.uk) and slightly different turnaround times. NGED residential G99 typically takes 14-28 working days — similar to Northern Powergrid. Commercial NGED is 30-90 days depending on capacity and network impact. We submit to both portals and know the operational quirks of each.
Are NGED fees different to Northern Powergrid?
Application fees are aligned across UK DNOs by Ofgem regulation — residential G99 below 16 kVA is free, commercial fees start at £400. Connection charges (cost of network reinforcement) vary by network capacity in your specific location. NGED operate in rural areas where network capacity is sometimes tight, so connection charges for larger installs can be higher than in dense urban areas served by Northern Powergrid.
Can I install solar in an NGED rural area?
Yes — rural NGED installs work the same as any other DNO area. The application includes a network capacity check, and NGED will either approve (most cases) or require export limiting / additional protection (occasional rural cases where the local network is at capacity). We've done installs in upper Weardale, Alston Moor and Yorkshire Dales fringe without difficulty.
How does AMP Renewables handle NGED applications?
Same as Northern Powergrid — submitted in-house as part of every install. We hold credentials on both the Northern Powergrid customer portal and the NGED Connections Online portal. You never contact either DNO directly. We monitor your application weekly and notify you when status changes.
Can I use NGED's interactive map to check capacity?
Yes — NGED publish a network capacity heat map at connections.nationalgrid.co.uk/maps which shows generation headroom in colour-coded zones. Green = plenty of capacity, amber = constrained, red = saturated. Useful for understanding whether your area might face export limiting before submitting an application. We check this for every NGED application as part of the design phase.
In an NGED area? We've got you covered.
We hold credentials on both Northern Powergrid and NGED application portals. You don't need to know which DNO serves you — we'll work that out and submit the right application.
Free, no-obligation survey Fixed-price written quote Fully-certified installation