Power cut guide
Power Cuts in Northern Ireland: NIE Networks and What’s Different
Quick answer: In Northern Ireland, power cuts are handled by NIE Networks, not the 105 service used in Great Britain. Report a cut or check for one on 03457 643 643 or on NIE Networks’ PowerCheck website. If someone in your home relies on electricity for medical equipment, join NIE Networks’ Customer Care Register. Compensation rules in NI are set by the Utility Regulator and differ from those in England, Scotland and Wales.
Is the power off where you are? See live power cuts from the network operators and reports from neighbours.
Most UK power cut advice is written for Great Britain, so some of it does not apply if you live in Northern Ireland. This guide explains who runs the network in NI, how to report and track a power cut, what help is available for vulnerable customers, how compensation works and where to go if you are unhappy.
Who looks after the power network in Northern Ireland?
NIE Networks owns and maintains the electricity network across the whole of Northern Ireland: the overhead lines, underground cables, poles and substations that bring power to every home and business. When the power goes off, NIE Networks is the company that finds the fault and fixes it.
Your electricity supplier, the company that sends your bill, is a separate business. It does not repair power cuts. This split is the same as in Great Britain, where six groups of network operators cover 14 licence areas. Our guide to the UK’s electricity network operators shows how the whole system fits together.
The Utility Regulator is Northern Ireland’s energy regulator. It does the job Ofgem does in Great Britain, including setting the standards NIE Networks must meet and the payments due if it misses them.
How to report a power cut in Northern Ireland
The 105 number works only in England, Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland, use these routes instead:
- Phone NIE Networks on 03457 643 643. Save it in your phone now, so you have it when the power goes.
- PowerCheck on the NIE Networks website, which shows current power cuts on a map and lets you report one.
- WhatsApp and Facebook, which NIE Networks lists as ways to report outages.
Before you report, check whether it is just your home. If your neighbours still have lights, look at your fuse box: a tripped switch inside your home is your responsibility, not NIE Networks’. Our guide on what to do in a power cut walks you through the first steps.
Safety: If you see a fallen or damaged power line, stay at least 5 metres away, keep others back and phone NIE Networks on 03457 643 643. If there is immediate danger to life, call 999. If you smell gas in Northern Ireland, call the gas emergency number, 0800 002 001.
Why your power cut might not show on PowerCheck
NIE Networks explains that its PowerCheck map shows only outages affecting more than ten properties. A cut affecting just your home or a handful of houses may not appear. It also won’t show a cut that hasn’t been reported yet or has already been fixed, and it does not currently show planned work. If you can’t see your cut on the map, report it rather than assuming NIE Networks knows.
Important numbers for Northern Ireland
| What you need | Who to contact | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Report a power cut or damaged equipment | NIE Networks | 03457 643 643 |
| Danger to life, fire, carbon monoxide symptoms, medical emergency | Emergency services | 999 |
| Smell of gas or suspected gas leak | Northern Ireland gas emergency line | 0800 002 001 |
| Urgent medical help that is not an emergency | Your GP or GP out-of-hours service | Check nidirect for local details |
| Complaint not resolved by NIE Networks | The Consumer Council | 0800 121 6022 |
Note that the Great Britain gas emergency number, 0800 111 999, is not the one to use in Northern Ireland. Our emergency numbers page lists the numbers for every part of the UK.
The Customer Care Register
NIE Networks keeps a Customer Care Register for people who rely on electricity for medical equipment or healthcare needs. It plays a similar role to the Priority Services Register in Great Britain. People on the register receive updates and extra support during a power cut.
You can sign up on the NIE Networks website or by phoning 03457 643 643. You can register yourself, or register someone you care for with their agreement.
Your electricity supplier may also run its own customer care scheme, for example for people who are older, disabled or have a long-term condition. It is worth asking them too, as the supplier and the network company do different jobs.
For a fuller picture of what extra help can look like, see our guide to the Priority Services Register. The details differ in NI, but the advice on making a backup plan applies everywhere.
Tip: Joining a register does not mean your power will be restored sooner than your neighbours’. Keep a plan for battery backup and somewhere to go if a cut lasts a long time.
Compensation for power cuts in Northern Ireland
The Guaranteed Standards that apply in Great Britain, including the £100 payment after 12 hours, do not apply in Northern Ireland. NIE Networks has its own customer standards, approved by the Utility Regulator. At the time of writing, NIE Networks’ website lists these main payments:
| Standard | What NIE Networks commits to | Payment if it fails | Claim rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restoring power after a fault | Restore supply within 24 hours | £50 for a home, £125 for a business, then £25 for each further 12 hours | Claim within 1 month of the day of the interruption |
| Notice of planned work | At least 3 days’ notice | £25 for a home, £50 for a business | Claim within 1 month of the day of the interruption |
| Main fuse failure | Attend within 3 hours on a working day, 4 hours on other days | £25 | Contact NIE Networks |
| Paying a guaranteed payment | Send payment within 10 working days | £25 | Contact NIE Networks |
Two differences from Great Britain stand out. First, you must usually claim the power restoration payment yourself, within one month, rather than waiting for it to arrive automatically. Second, NIE Networks says the standards may not apply in situations outside its control, such as severe weather.
Changes on the way
The Utility Regulator published a decision in July 2026 to update the standards. Under it, a home would be due £95 (£190 for a business) if power is not restored within 18 hours where fewer than 5,000 customers are affected, or 24 hours for larger incidents, then £45 for each further 12 hours, with a claim window of three months. These changes need new regulations, agreed with the Department for the Economy and laid before the Assembly, before they take effect. Until then, the amounts on NIE Networks’ website are the ones that apply. Check there before you claim.
Storms and the severe weather exemption
NIE Networks can apply for an exemption from payments when severe weather causes widespread damage. After Storm Éowyn in January 2025, no guaranteed standards payments were made for the outages it caused. In July 2026 the Economy Minister said customers should receive payments when left without electricity because of severe weather and asked officials to develop a policy, but no new scheme had been set out at the time of writing.
NIE Networks does not pay for spoiled food or damaged belongings. It suggests contacting your home insurer about freezer contents. Our main guide to power cut compensation in the UK explains the Great Britain rules for comparison.
Planned power cuts in Northern Ireland
NIE Networks plans some power cuts to connect new customers, change supplies and carry out network upgrades, including its programme known as The Big Network Rebuild. It says it gives at least three days’ notice, usually by postcard showing the times and dates of the work, and more notice where possible.
Where it can, NIE Networks fits a generator at the local substation to reduce disruption, but it does not provide generators for individual homes or businesses. As PowerCheck doesn’t show planned work, use NIE Networks’ planned work pages or the contact details on your postcard.
If someone in your home relies on medical equipment and you receive a planned work card, contact NIE Networks straight away so you have time to plan.
How to complain about NIE Networks
If something has gone wrong, for example a payment you think you are owed, follow NIE Networks’ complaints process:
- Complain to NIE Networks online, by phone on 03457 643 643 or by post. If your complaint needs investigating, it says it will let you know within 10 working days.
- Ask for a review by writing to NIE Networks’ Managing Director if you are not happy with the outcome.
- Contact the Consumer Council on 0800 121 6022 if you are still unhappy. It is an independent body that can take up energy complaints for consumers in Northern Ireland.
The Energy Ombudsman, which handles energy complaints in Great Britain, is not the route for complaints about NIE Networks.
Frequently asked questions
Does 105 work in Northern Ireland?
No. The 105 power cut number covers England, Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland, call NIE Networks on 03457 643 643 or use PowerCheck.
How do I check if there is a power cut in my area in Northern Ireland?
Look at NIE Networks’ PowerCheck map, which shows outages affecting more than ten properties. If yours isn’t shown, report it by phone or online.
Do I get compensation for a power cut in Northern Ireland?
You may, if NIE Networks fails to restore your supply within 24 hours and no exemption applies. At the time of writing a home can claim £50 plus £25 for each further 12 hours, and you must claim within 1 month. Check NIE Networks’ website for the current amounts.
Is the Customer Care Register the same as the Priority Services Register?
They do a similar job. The Priority Services Register is the name used in Great Britain. In Northern Ireland, NIE Networks runs a Customer Care Register for people who rely on electricity for medical or healthcare needs.
Who regulates electricity in Northern Ireland?
The Utility Regulator. It sets the standards NIE Networks must meet. Complaints that NIE Networks has not resolved go to the Consumer Council.
Your next step: save 03457 643 643 in your phone, bookmark PowerCheck, and if anyone in your home relies on medical equipment, join the Customer Care Register today. For background on why the lights go out, read our guide on why power cuts happen. Our network operators page has contact details across the UK.
Sources
- NIE Networks u2013 Customer standards
- NIE Networks u2013 Get storm ready
- NIE Networks u2013 Why is my power cut not on PowerCheck?
- NIE Networks u2013 Planned work
- NIE Networks u2013 Making a complaint leaflet
- Utility Regulator u2013 Review of Electricity GSS and OSP decision paper (non-metering), July 2026
- Department for the Economy u2013 Written statement on electricity guaranteed standards review, 22 July 2026
Checked against these sources on 28 October 2026. Rules and amounts can change – your network operator or Ofgem has the final word. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
More on understanding power cuts: Why Do Power Cuts Happen? Common Causes in the UK · All power cut guides