Can I notify UK Power Networks myself, and is there a fee?

UK Power Networks says no to the first part. Its installer portal states: “Only approved installers can use Smart Connect on behalf of customers”, and its consumer guidance states: “Only installers can notify us on behalf of customers”. On the fee we do not know — no UK Power Networks page we have read states a charge for a single-premises G98 notification, and none states that it is free, so we are not going to tell you either way. Ring them and ask.

Do I wait for UKPN to approve before using my solar?

No. G98 Connect & Notify is a post-install notification, not an approval gate. You install a compliant unit, then notify UKPN — you do not wait for permission.

G98 notification for UK Power Networks (UKPN) customers

Q: Is UK Power Networks my DNO?

UK Power Networks (UKPN) is the Distribution Network Operator for London, the East of England and the South East of England. Your DNO depends on where you live, not who you pay your bill to. If unsure, call 105 (free) and ask who your DNO is.

Quick answer: If you live in London, the East or the South East of England, your network operator is UK Power Networks. It has to be told within 28 days of commissioning — a post-install notification, not an approval. But UK Power Networks is the one operator that addresses whether you can do that yourself, and it says you cannot: “Only installers can notify us on behalf of customers”. If you plugged the unit in yourself there is no installer, and neither UK Power Networks nor Engineering Recommendation G98 says what happens then. We have not found an answer, so we are not inventing one — the full picture is here.

Is UKPN your DNO?

UK Power Networks covers London, the East of England, and the South East of England. Your DNO depends on where you live, not your energy supplier (Octopus, EDF, etc. are suppliers, not DNOs). Not sure? Call 105 (free) and ask "who is my DNO?" — or see our full DNO walkthrough for the other regions.

How to file with UKPN

Open UKPN's generation portal

Go to ukpowernetworks.co.uk → "Generation" / "Connect & Notify (G98)". It's an online form.

Enter your details

MPAN (13-digit, from your electricity bill), install address, inverter make/model + rated output (≤0.8 kW AC), panel kWp, and the connection date.

Submit & keep the reference

You'll get a confirmation reference — save it. You do not wait for approval; the notification is the regulatory step.

It's notification, not approval

For a single-phase unit up to 16A per phase (800W is well under), UKPN is notified, not asked — you are not waiting for a yes. Whether a fee applies, we cannot tell you: no UKPN page we have read mentions a charge for a single-premises G98 notification, and none says it is free, so we record it as unknown.

Correction: this paragraph previously said the notification was free and that it locked the install into a BS 7671 Amendment 4 portable-appliance pathway. BS 7671 is a paid standard to which we have no primary access, and we should not have asserted either. Both are recorded as unverified in our dataset.

Not in London/East/SE? See the general G98 walkthrough for SSEN, NGED, Northern Powergrid, Electricity North West and SP Energy Networks.

FAQ

Is UKPN my DNO?: If you're in London, the East, or the South East of England — yes. Call 105 to confirm.
Is it free?: Yes, G98 Connect & Notify is free and online.
Do I wait for approval?: No — it's a post-install notification, not an approval gate.

Related: what G98 requires a certified unit to survive at 253 V — the protection settings, the 90 minute operating range test, and where an EU device stops.

Informational, not legal or electrical advice. DNO portals occasionally change URLs — navigate from ukpowernetworks.co.uk's "Generation" section. Last reviewed 16 June 2026.