What is a Building Network Operator (BNO)?

A BNO is the organisation that owns or operates the electricity distribution network within a multiple occupancy building, between the intake position and customers’ installations. A BNO may be a building owner, landlord, developer or similar function in control of a building infrastructure at that given time.

What is a multiple occupancy building?

A Multiple Occupancy Building is any single building that has been subdivided into more than one premise, for example, flats (including conversions) or factories that have been broken up into smaller industrial units. It includes any communal areas.

What are the options available to me?

When you apply for a connection to a new multiple-occupancy building, we can offer the following:

1) We can install one new supply up to the intake position which is not metered.  You will be responsible for all the distribution cabling from the intake position to the individual end user fuses.  We will issue MPANs to you for the end customers, but please be aware that we will not install current transformer (CTs) required for supplies greater than 69kVA.  Any connection agreement and CT metering will be your responsibility.  

You must provide a completion certificate for your works before we can energise your supply. It is highly recommended that an isolation switch is installed on your network.

You must submit details of whom to contact in an emergency, for example, a power cut.  We cannot progress the connection until these details are supplied.

We will issue a BNO agreement to you that must be completed and signed before we can energise your connection.  This agreement will highlight the technical details of the connection and outline your responsibilities. 

Or;

2) We will install our service cable to a cut-out at the intake position and issue a single MPAN to you.   No other MPANs will be issued for the building. We can install a supply that requires CT metering and enter into a connection agreement with you.  

Or;

3) If your electrical infrastructure is to be adopted by an IDNO, we will install a non-metered supply at the boundary position and enter into a bilateral connection agreement with the IDNO.

What if I want to install distributed generation to my building?

This depends on the level of generation that you intend to install.  The relevant G98 or G99 process will require to be followed in these cases.  Further guidance on generation can be found on our Generation Connections webpage.

How do I get an MPAN?

If you are an unlicensed BNO then we will register the MPANs beyond the intake position. The following information must be submitted by you for us to raise the MPANs:

  • BNO name (company/building owner)
  • The locations of the supplies including postal address
  • Number of properties
  • Emergency contact details

If you have any questions relating to the BNO process please do not hesitate to contact us at connections.policy@sse.com.

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