How long does a new commercial electricity connection take?
There is no fixed total. For work by the local network company, a simple single-phase supply must be quoted within 5 working days and larger ones within 15 to 65. Actual energisation depends on groundworks, consents and meter fitting, so ask for a written programme.
There is no single national timescale for a new commercial connection. It depends on the size of the supply and how much work the network needs. What is fixed is how quickly the network company must quote and make contact.
The official clock (distribution companies)
Ofgem sets Guaranteed Standards for metered connections, which distribution network operators (DNOs) publish. The April 2026 notice says they must meet these deadlines, counted in working days from when you have given all the information and paid any fee:
| Type of connection | Quote within | Contact you after you accept and pay |
|---|---|---|
| Single low-voltage, single-phase service | 5 working days | 7 working days |
| Small project (demand) | 15 working days | 7 working days |
| Other low-voltage connections | 25 working days | 7 working days |
| High-voltage | 35 working days | 10 working days |
| Extra high-voltage | 65 working days | 15 working days |
If the company is late, you are due automatic payments, which start at £20 a day for the smaller connection types. Once dates are agreed, further payments apply if work is late. These standards apply to work done by the DNO itself, not to independent connection providers.
What is not guaranteed
The standards do not give a total time from application to power on. Your real wait also depends on:
- Whether the street needs new cable, a new substation or road works.
- How quickly you accept the quote and pay.
- Landowner consents or permits.
- Meter installation, which your supplier arranges separately.
Our general rule of thumb: ask the DNO or connections provider for a programme in writing, and treat the first date as an estimate.
A worked example
A salon needs a new single-phase supply. The DNO has 5 working days to quote after you apply and pay. Say you accept on a Monday and pay. Within 7 working days they must contact you to schedule the work. If the quote takes 8 working days instead of 5, you have missed the standard by 3 days, and at £20 a day that would be £60 owed, subject to the rules. Keep a log of application dates.
How to avoid delays
- Apply as soon as you sign the lease or have a firm building date.
- Give the full load figures, address and site plan in the first submission.
- Sign a supply contract before energising. Our guide to new business energy connections sets out the order.
- Book the meter early. See business meter installation.
Not sure whether you need more than a standard supply? Read about three-phase supplies first, because a bigger load takes longer.
Next steps
Identify your DNO, request a quote, and in parallel get supplier prices so power is not delayed or placed on a deemed rate once connected. See setting up energy for a new business.
Sources
General information only. Energy prices, rules and supplier terms change; check the latest position with your supplier, Ofgem or the Energy Ombudsman before you act.