SP Energy Networks (SPEN) operates two separate electricity distribution networks in the United Kingdom. SP Manweb covers Merseyside, Cheshire, and North Wales. SP Distribution covers Central and Southern Scotland. Both networks process G98 notifications and G99 applications through the same SPEN connections engineering portal, but the technical conditions, planning context, and network characteristics differ between the two licence areas.
This guide covers the G99 solar application process for both SP Manweb and SP Distribution, including SPEN-specific requirements, Scottish Planning Policy considerations, export limiting, and the timelines you should expect.
SP Energy Networks: Two Licence Areas
SPEN is part of the ScottishPower group and holds two electricity distribution licences regulated by Ofgem. Despite sharing a parent company, connections portal, and engineering team, SP Manweb and SP Distribution are legally distinct network operators with separate licence obligations.
SP Manweb covers:
- Merseyside — Liverpool, Wirral, St Helens, Knowsley, Sefton
- Cheshire — Chester, Warrington, Macclesfield, Crewe
- North Wales — Gwynedd, Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Wrexham
SP Distribution covers:
- Central Scotland — Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, Stirling, Falkirk, Clackmannanshire
- Southern Scotland — Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders, South Lanarkshire
Choosing the Right Licence Area
When applying through the SPEN portal, confirm which licence area your project falls within before submitting. A project in Wrexham is SP Manweb; a project in Dumfries is SP Distribution. Using the wrong area will delay your application while SPEN redirects it.
SP Manweb: G98 and G99 Process
G98 Notification (SP Manweb)
For systems up to 3.68 kW per phase connecting within the SP Manweb area, G98 self-notification applies. Submit the notification through the SPEN connections portal within 28 days of commissioning, providing:
- Site address and MPAN
- Installed capacity (kW and kVA)
- Inverter make, model, and G98 type test certificate reference
- Date of commissioning
- MCS certificate number (for domestic installations)
- Installer contact details
SP Manweb does not issue a formal approval for G98 notifications but records the connection in its network management systems.
G99 Application (SP Manweb)
For systems at or above 3.68 kW per phase in the SP Manweb area, the G99 process applies. The SP Manweb network is a mix of urban distribution in Merseyside and Cheshire and more rural distribution in North Wales — and that distinction matters for connection timescales.
Urban connections (Merseyside and Cheshire): The network in this area is generally well-meshed with reasonable capacity on most feeders. Straightforward G99 connections for commercial rooftop systems are often achievable without reinforcement. SPEN’s urban network connections tend to proceed relatively smoothly.
North Wales connections: The North Wales network includes a mix of coastal, valley, and upland circuits. Parts of the network — particularly in Gwynedd and Anglesey — have constrained overhead line circuits with limited export capacity. Systems in these areas may face reinforcement requirements or export limitation conditions.
Required documents for SP Manweb G99 application:
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Completed SPEN G99 application form | Available on the spen-engineering.co.uk portal |
| Single-line diagram | Generation system, protection, metering, and network connection point |
| Site plan | Connection point, cable route, generation equipment |
| Equipment schedule | Inverter datasheets, protection relay specifications, transformer data if applicable |
| Protection study | Required for larger systems or where SPEN requests it |
| Export controller confirmation | If proposing export limitation — G100-compliant AEC required |
SP Distribution: G98 and G99 Process
G98 Notification (SP Distribution)
The G98 self-notification process in the SP Distribution area follows the same ENA standard as the rest of the UK. Notification is submitted through the SPEN connections portal within 28 days of commissioning a system below 3.68 kW per phase.
Scotland has seen growing residential solar uptake, and SP Distribution processes a significant volume of G98 notifications each year for rooftop systems.
G99 Application (SP Distribution)
The SP Distribution network covers a varied geographic area, from the densely populated Central Belt to the rural uplands of the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.
Central Belt connections (Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Stirling area): The Central Belt network has seen significant investment and generally has reasonable capacity for commercial-scale solar connections. G99 applications in these areas are often processed without requiring reinforcement, though the volume of applications means SPEN’s assessment queue can be longer than in less active areas.
Southern Scotland connections: Rural connections in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway face the same challenges as other rural UK networks — long feeder circuits, limited thermal capacity, and in some areas constrained voltage headroom. Export limitation is more common in these areas.
Create an account on the SPEN connections engineering portal
Go to spen-engineering.co.uk and register as a designer or contractor. Select the correct licence area — SP Manweb for projects in Merseyside, Cheshire, or North Wales; SP Distribution for projects in Central or Southern Scotland. Upload your professional qualifications or company registration details as required.
Scottish Planning Policy for SP Distribution Customers
Solar projects in the SP Distribution area are subject to Scottish planning law, which differs from the planning framework in England and Wales that applies to SP Manweb customers.
National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4)
Scotland’s National Planning Framework 4, which came into effect in February 2023, represents a significant shift in how solar and renewable energy projects are treated by planning authorities. Policy 2 of NPF4 creates a strong presumption in favour of renewable energy development at all scales, including ground-mount solar farms and commercial rooftop arrays.
Key implications for solar projects in the SP Distribution area:
- Renewable energy is treated as a “national development” priority under NPF4
- Planning authorities in Scotland must support renewable energy applications unless there are specific material planning objections
- Ground-mount solar projects below 50 MW do not require a national consent process through Energy Consents Unit — they are determined by local planning authorities but under the NPF4 framework
- Projects above 50 MW are determined by the Energy Consents Unit through the Section 36 process under the Electricity Act 1989
Pro Tip
NPF4’s presumption in favour of renewable energy makes Scotland’s planning environment generally more supportive of solar than many English local planning authority areas. If you are comparing sites across the SPEN network, a project in Dumfries and Galloway or Ayrshire may face less planning risk than an equivalent project in rural North Wales or parts of Cheshire.
Permitted Development in Scotland
Domestic solar installations in Scotland are covered by permitted development rights under The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2012. These rights are broadly similar to England’s but have some differences in the technical conditions, particularly for listed buildings and conservation areas.
For commercial and ground-mount solar in Scotland, planning permission is generally required, but the NPF4 framework means applications should be considered positively.
Submit a pre-application enquiry or full G99 application
For systems above 3.68 kW per phase, submit a pre-application enquiry to receive an early indication of network capacity and reinforcement requirements. When your design is sufficiently developed, submit the full G99 application with the single-line diagram, site plan, equipment schedule, and any required protection studies. Ensure documents reflect the correct SPEN licence area.
SPEN Connections Portal
All G98 notifications and G99 applications for both SP Manweb and SP Distribution are handled through the SPEN connections engineering portal at spen-engineering.co.uk.
The portal supports:
- New account registration for contractors and designers
- Pre-application enquiries
- Full G99 application submission
- Document upload and management
- Application status tracking
- Receipt and acceptance of connection offers
- Commissioning test submission
When registering, you must select the relevant SPEN licence area for your project. If you work across both SP Manweb and SP Distribution areas, the portal allows you to manage applications in both licence areas from a single account.
Portal Tip
SPEN’s portal requires all documents to be uploaded in PDF format. Submitting scanned images rather than properly rendered PDFs is one of the most common reasons applications are returned for resubmission. Use solar software that exports G99-ready documentation directly to PDF to avoid this issue.
SPEN-Specific Technical Conditions
SPEN implements the ENA G99 standard with some specific requirements that apply within its network areas:
Protection relay settings: SPEN specifies particular voltage and frequency protection settings for generation systems connecting to its network. These settings are published in SPEN’s engineering technical standards, available on the SPEN website, and must be verified and documented for each installation.
Power factor requirements: For G99 systems, SPEN may require operation at a specified power factor or with reactive power capability. The requirements are set out in the connection offer and depend on the system size and the network conditions at the connection point.
Metering: SPEN requires metering at the point of connection for G99 systems. The metering must comply with SPEN’s metering code and be capable of recording both import and export in half-hour intervals.
Fault level assessment: For larger systems or systems connecting at voltage levels above 11 kV, SPEN will carry out a fault level assessment to ensure the system’s fault current contribution does not exceed network design limits.
Anti-islanding and loss-of-mains protection: SPEN requires that all G99 systems comply with the loss-of-mains protection requirements of G99, using a Rate of Change of Frequency (RoCoF) relay set to a level specified by SPEN. For systems in the SP Distribution area, SPEN’s settings may reflect the characteristics of the Scottish network, which can have different inertia and frequency dynamics from the interconnected GB network.
Export Limiting in SPEN Network Areas
Export limitation is used in both the SP Manweb and SP Distribution networks where generation capacity on existing circuits is constrained.
SP Manweb constrained areas: Export limitation is most commonly required in parts of the North Wales network — particularly inland and upland areas served by overhead line circuits with limited thermal ratings. In Merseyside and Cheshire, the urban network generally has more headroom, but export limitation may still be required for larger systems in suburban areas.
SP Distribution constrained areas: In rural parts of Central and Southern Scotland — including parts of Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Dumfries and Galloway, and the Scottish Borders — long overhead line circuits have limited capacity for additional generation export. Export limitation is a common solution in these areas, avoiding the substantial cost of rural network reinforcement.
A G100-compliant active export controller (AEC) is required for all export-limited connections. The AEC monitors energy flow at the grid connection point and curtails the inverter output to maintain export below the agreed limit.
Export Limit Compliance
Exceeding the export limit specified in a SPEN connection agreement is a breach of that agreement. SPEN monitors export levels through its metering systems and can require disconnection of non-compliant systems. Ensure the active export controller is correctly installed, calibrated, and tested before commissioning.
Using solar design software with accurate generation modelling helps set realistic expectations about how often export limiting will actually constrain a system’s output — this data supports the business case assessment before committing to a constrained-area connection.
Application Timelines
| Stage | SPEN Target | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-application feasibility | 30 business days | Both SP Manweb and SP Distribution |
| Full G99 offer (standard connection) | 45 business days | From receipt of complete application |
| Complex connection offer | 90+ business days | Where reinforcement studies or major works required |
| G98 notification acknowledgement | No formal target | SPEN records receipt; no approval issued |
These timescales are SPEN’s targets under the Electricity (Connection Standards of Performance) Regulations. SPEN is required to offer compensation where it misses statutory timescales.
Pro Tip
Pre-application enquiries add time to the overall programme, but they almost always save time and money overall by identifying network constraints before you have committed to a detailed design. For any G99 system above 100 kW in a rural SPEN area, a pre-application enquiry is essential before final site selection.
Accept the connection offer and arrange commissioning
SPEN will issue a connection offer within 45 business days for standard applications. Review the technical conditions, export limitations, and connection charges set out in the offer. Accept in writing and pay quoted charges to allow SPEN to proceed with any connection works. Arrange a commissioning test in accordance with G99 requirements before energising the system.
Contact Details
SPEN Connections Portal: spen-engineering.co.uk
SP Manweb connections enquiries: connections@sp-manweb.com
SP Distribution connections enquiries: connections@sp-distribution.com
Telephone (SP Manweb): 0330 10 10 444
Telephone (SP Distribution): 0330 10 10 444
Postal address (SP Manweb):
SP Manweb plc
Connections Team
Prenton Way
Prenton
Birkenhead
CH43 3ET
Postal address (SP Distribution):
SP Distribution Limited
Connections Team
Cathcart Business Park
Spean Street
Glasgow
G44 4BE
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Scotland-Specific Resources
For projects in the SP Distribution area, the following regional compliance resources are relevant:
- Scotland solar compliance overview — planning policy, grid connection context, and Scottish-specific incentives
- G99 application guide — full step-by-step G99 process
- G98 vs G99 — understanding which standard applies
Other UK DNOs
- UK Power Networks — South East England, East of England, London
- NGED (National Grid Electricity Distribution) — Midlands, South West England, South Wales
- Northern Powergrid — Yorkshire, North East England
- Electricity North West — Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire
- SSE Networks — North of Scotland, South of England
See the UK solar compliance hub for the complete framework.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between SP Manweb and SP Distribution?
SP Manweb and SP Distribution are two separate electricity distribution licence areas within the SP Energy Networks group. SP Manweb covers Merseyside, Cheshire, and North Wales in England and Wales. SP Distribution covers Central and Southern Scotland. Although they share the same parent company and connections portal, they operate under different licence conditions and may have different technical requirements and timescales.
How do I apply for a G99 connection through SP Energy Networks?
Applications for both SP Manweb and SP Distribution are submitted through the SPEN connections engineering portal at spen-engineering.co.uk. You register an account, select your licence area, and submit a pre-application or full G99 application with the required documentation. SPEN’s connections team will assess the application and issue a connection offer.
Does Scottish Planning Policy affect solar projects in the SP Distribution area?
Yes. Solar projects in Central and Southern Scotland fall under Scottish Planning Policy and the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), which took effect in February 2023. NPF4 strongly supports renewable energy and solar in particular, making planning consent more straightforward for many projects than in equivalent English locations. However, planning consent is a separate process from the G99 DNO application, and both must be obtained before commissioning.
Can SPEN require export limitation for solar connections?
Yes. SPEN can require export limitation — particularly in areas of SP Manweb’s North Wales network and parts of SP Distribution’s rural Scottish network where generation capacity is constrained. An active export controller compliant with G100 is required. Export-limited connections can avoid or reduce network reinforcement, speeding up connection timescales.
