Your Meter Point Administration Number, commonly shortened to MPAN, is the unique reference used to identify the electricity supply point at your business premises.
You may need your MPAN when comparing business electricity prices, switching suppliers, moving into commercial premises, installing a new meter or investigating a billing problem.
The quickest way to find your MPAN is normally to check a recent electricity bill. If you do not have a bill, you can contact your electricity supplier or local distribution network operator.
What is an MPAN?
MPAN stands for Meter Point Administration Number. It identifies the point at which electricity is supplied to a property.
Ofgem describes an MPAN as the number that identifies an electricity supply. It is sometimes also called an electricity supply number or S number.
The MPAN is linked to the supply point rather than the individual physical meter. This means it will normally remain the same when:
- You switch electricity supplier
- Your business agrees to a new tariff
- The physical meter is replaced
- A smart or advanced meter is installed
- A new business occupies the premises
A business can have more than one MPAN at the same address. For example, separate MPANs might serve different buildings, business units, floors, meters or types of electrical equipment.
How many digits are in an MPAN?
A full MPAN contains 21 digits and is normally displayed inside a box beginning with the letter S.
It is usually divided into two sections:
- An eight-digit upper section containing information about the meter and supply arrangement
- A 13-digit lower section known as the MPAN core
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks confirms that the full MPAN contains 21 digits, while the lower MPAN core acts as the unique identifier for the supply point.
An MPAN may be displayed like this:
S
03 801 100
12 3456 7890 123
This is only an example and does not relate to a real electricity supply.
When an energy supplier, broker or comparison service asks for your MPAN, they will often need the 13-digit number on the bottom row rather than all 21 digits.
Citizens Advice describes the MPAN requested by its smart meter checking service as the 12- or 13-digit number shown on the lower row of the electricity supply number.
How to find your MPAN on an electricity bill
Your latest electricity bill is usually the easiest place to find the MPAN.
Look for a box or section labelled:
- Electricity supply number
- Supply number
- MPAN
- Meter Point Administration Number
- S number
- Supply details
- Metering details
The number may be shown near the top of the bill, beside your meter details or within the section explaining your electricity charges.
The complete MPAN is often presented inside a rectangular box with a large S on the left. The upper and lower rows may be separated into groups of numbers.
Citizens Advice confirms that the MPAN should appear on an electricity bill and may be described as the supply number.
Do not assume that every number on the bill is part of your MPAN. A business electricity bill may include several different references:
| Reference | What it identifies |
|---|---|
| MPAN | The electricity supply point |
| Meter serial number | The physical electricity meter |
| Account number | Your account with the supplier |
| Invoice number | A particular electricity bill |
| Contract number | Your supply agreement |
| MPRN | A gas supply point in Great Britain |
Check that the number is labelled MPAN, electricity supply number or S number before using it.
Find the MPAN through your online account
Many electricity suppliers display the MPAN in their online customer portal.
After signing in, look under areas such as:
- My meters
- Supply details
- Site information
- Account information
- Bills and statements
- Contract details
You may also be able to download a PDF copy of a previous bill, even if your business receives paperless billing.
If the MPAN is not shown clearly, contact the supplier’s business customer service team or your account manager. Provide your business name, account number and the full supply address.
Contact your electricity supplier
Your current electricity supplier should be able to confirm the MPAN registered to your business account.
You may need to provide:
- Your supplier account number
- The business name
- The full supply address
- The postcode
- The meter serial number
- A recent meter reading
- Proof that you are responsible for the premises
Citizens Advice advises customers without access to bills to check their online account or contact their electricity supplier to obtain the MPAN.
For a multi-site organisation, ask the supplier for a meter-point schedule showing every site, MPAN and corresponding meter serial number.
Find your electricity network operator
If you do not know the existing supplier, you can obtain the MPAN through the electricity distribution network operator responsible for the area.
The distribution network operator, or DNO, is the company that owns and operates the local electricity cables and infrastructure. It is different from the electricity supplier that bills you for the electricity you consume.
You can find your network operator by:
- Visiting the Energy Networks Association’s network operator search service.
- Entering the postcode of the business premises.
- Identifying the electricity network operator for the area.
- Following the operator’s supplier enquiry service or contacting it directly.
- Asking for the registered supplier and MPAN for the address.
Ofgem recommends this process where a customer does not have a recent bill. Its guidance says to identify the network operator, contact it for the supplier details and request the electricity MPAN where required.
The Energy Networks Association provides a postcode search that identifies the relevant electricity network operator. It also advises that customers can call 105, the free electricity network emergency number.
Use your network operator’s supplier search
Several network operators provide their own online service for identifying the electricity supplier and MPAN registered to a property.
The exact information requested varies, but you may need to enter:
- The business postcode
- The building number or name
- The unit number
- The meter serial number
- Your email address
Citizens Advice advises customers to identify their electricity network and then use the network operator’s “find my supplier” service. The result can also provide the MPAN registered to the address.
Take particular care when searching for a unit in an office block, shopping centre, industrial estate or other multi-occupancy site. Several electricity supply points may share the same postcode or main building address.
Ask your landlord or managing agent
Businesses moving into rented premises may not have access to previous electricity bills.
Ask the:
- Landlord
- Commercial letting agent
- Managing agent
- Property manager
- Facilities management company
- Building management team
- Previous occupier
They may have an old electricity bill, meter schedule, inventory report, connection agreement or utility handover document showing the MPAN.
Confirm that any MPAN supplied relates specifically to your business unit. Do not use another tenant’s MPAN simply because it is registered at the same postcode.
Check connection and installation paperwork
For a newly built property or a new electricity connection, the MPAN may appear on documents provided by the DNO, independent distribution network operator, developer or connection contractor.
Check documents such as:
- New connection confirmation
- Energisation notices
- Meter installation records
- Utility handover packs
- Connection quotations
- Site plans
- Developer completion documents
- Electrical infrastructure records
The DNO normally creates or allocates an MPAN when a new connection to the electricity network is established. Energy Networks Association connection guidance states that a DNO provides a new MPAN when a new grid connection is created.
An electricity supplier will normally need the MPAN before it can register as the supplier and arrange for the meter to be installed or energised.
Can you find the MPAN on the electricity meter?
The MPAN is not normally printed on the physical electricity meter.
The number visible on the meter is usually the meter serial number, also known as the:
- MSN
- Meter ID
- Meter number
- Serial number
A meter serial number commonly contains a mixture of letters and numbers and can usually be found close to the meter display or barcode.
The MPAN identifies the electricity supply point. The meter serial number identifies the physical meter installed at that supply point.
| Detail | MPAN | Meter serial number |
|---|---|---|
| Identifies | Electricity supply point | Physical meter |
| Normally on the bill | Yes | Yes |
| Normally on the meter | No | Yes |
| Format | Full 21-digit number | Usually letters and numbers |
| Changes after meter replacement | Normally no | Yes |
British Gas advises that the meter serial number is displayed on the meter near its barcode and may contain both letters and numbers.
A photograph of the electricity meter can still help your supplier or network operator locate the correct MPAN because it shows the serial number associated with the installation.
What do the MPAN numbers mean?
The full 21-digit MPAN contains information about the electricity supply and metering arrangement.
Its main sections include:
| MPAN section | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Profile class | Indicates the consumption and metering profile |
| Meter time-switch code | Describes how the meter records different time periods |
| Line loss factor class | Relates to electricity losses and network charging |
| Distributor ID | Identifies the relevant distribution network |
| Unique reference | Identifies the individual supply point |
| Check digit | Helps confirm that the MPAN has been entered correctly |
The first eight digits form the supplementary data section. The lower 13 digits form the MPAN core.
Energy Networks Association guidance explains that digits nine and ten of the full 21-digit MPAN are the distributor ID used to identify the relevant network operator.
Most businesses will not need to interpret every section. Your supplier or broker may, however, use this information to understand the meter configuration and obtain an accurate electricity quotation.
What is the difference between an MPAN and an MPRN?
In England, Scotland and Wales, an MPAN identifies an electricity supply point, while an MPRN identifies a gas supply point.
| Detail | MPAN | MPRN |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Meter Point Administration Number | Meter Point Reference Number |
| Energy type | Electricity | Gas |
| Common alternative name | Supply number or S number | Gas supply number or M number |
| Typical core format | 13 digits | Usually around 10 digits |
| Found on | Electricity bill | Gas bill |
| Printed on the meter | Normally no | Normally no |
A business receiving both gas and electricity will usually have at least one MPAN and one MPRN.
The two numbers are not interchangeable. Providing an MPRN when asked for an MPAN will not identify the electricity supply.
Why does a business need its MPAN?
Your MPAN may be required when:
- Comparing business electricity tariffs
- Switching electricity supplier
- Setting up an account after moving premises
- Identifying the current supplier
- Arranging a new electricity connection
- Installing or replacing a meter
- Investigating incorrect bills
- Resolving a crossed-meter problem
- Changing the agreed supply capacity
- Installing solar panels or battery storage
- Managing multiple business locations
An accurate MPAN helps ensure that a quotation or supplier transfer is applied to the correct electricity supply point.
A postcode alone may not be sufficient, particularly where several meters or businesses share the same building.
What is an import MPAN?
An import MPAN identifies the electricity supply point through which your business takes electricity from the grid.
This is the MPAN normally shown on your electricity bill and used when comparing business electricity tariffs.
Most businesses that only purchase electricity from the grid will primarily deal with an import MPAN.
What is an export MPAN?
An export MPAN identifies electricity exported from a business property to the electricity network.
Your business may need an export MPAN if it operates:
- Solar photovoltaic panels
- A wind turbine
- A battery storage system
- A combined heat and power system
- Another form of on-site electricity generation
The export MPAN is separate from the import MPAN. Energy Networks Association documents distinguish between import MPANs for electricity taken from the network and export MPANs for electricity delivered to it.
Do not provide the export MPAN when obtaining a quotation for imported business electricity unless the supplier specifically asks for both numbers.
Can one business property have several MPANs?
Yes. Some commercial properties have multiple separately registered electricity supplies.
For example, a site may have:
- One MPAN for the main building
- Another MPAN for a workshop
- A separate supply for catering equipment
- Separate landlord and tenant supplies
- Both import and export MPANs
- Different MPANs for separate business units
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks gives the example of a school having one MPAN for its main supply and another for its catering facilities.
When requesting electricity quotations, make sure every import MPAN is included. A missed supply point could remain with the old supplier or move onto expensive out-of-contract rates.
What if the MPAN does not match your address?
Contact your electricity supplier if the MPAN shown on your bill does not match the number registered to the premises.
Citizens Advice recommends comparing the MPAN on the electricity bill with the MPAN registered to the address. If there is a discrepancy, the customer should contact the electricity supplier.
A mismatch can occur because:
- The wrong meter has been assigned to your account
- Two meters have been crossed
- The supplier is billing a neighbouring unit
- The postal address is recorded incorrectly
- A property conversion has not been registered correctly
- An old meter record has not been updated
- A landlord’s meter has been confused with a tenant’s meter
Take clear photographs showing:
- The meter serial number
- The meter reading
- The complete meter installation
- The location of the meter
- Any labels identifying the unit or premises
Continue recording meter readings while the supplier investigates the problem. Keep copies of bills, photographs, emails and reference numbers.
What if the address cannot be found?
An address might not appear in a supplier search where:
- The building is new
- The supply has not yet been registered
- The postcode has recently changed
- A building has been divided into several units
- The registered address is different from the postal address
- The connection is recorded under a plot number
- The electricity supply has been disconnected
- The site is served by an independent distribution network
Try searching using different versions of the address, including the:
- Building name
- Unit number
- Plot number
- Parent property
- Previous address
- Main site address
If the property is newly connected, contact the DNO or connection provider and ask whether an MPAN has been created.
Finding MPANs for multiple business premises
Organisations with more than one property should maintain a central electricity supply register.
Useful information to record includes:
- Complete supply address
- Import MPAN
- Export MPAN, where applicable
- Meter serial number
- Current electricity supplier
- Supplier account number
- Contract start date
- Contract end date
- Annual electricity consumption
- Meter type
- Agreed supply capacity
- Latest meter reading
This makes it easier to compare tariffs, check invoices and prevent a meter from being omitted during contract renewals.
Do not assume there is only one MPAN at each address. Large factories, hospitals, hotels, schools, business parks and shopping centres can have several separately registered electricity supplies.
Does this guidance apply in Northern Ireland?
The MPAN terminology described above applies primarily to electricity supplies in Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales.
Northern Ireland uses different electricity market arrangements. Electricity supply points there are generally identified by an MPRN, or Meter Point Reference Number, rather than a Great Britain-style MPAN.
NIE Networks describes the Northern Ireland electricity MPRN as a unique 11-digit number used to identify the address and its incoming electricity supply.
Northern Ireland businesses can find the MPRN on an electricity bill, ask their supplier or use NIE Networks’ supplier search service. NIE Networks says its online service can identify both the current electricity supplier and the MPRN when the required address and meter details are provided.
FAQ
Normally, no. The number printed on the physical meter is usually the meter serial number. The MPAN is normally shown on the electricity bill or held by the supplier and network operator.
The full MPAN contains 21 digits. However, businesses are often asked to provide only the 13-digit MPAN core shown on the bottom row of the supply number.
The MPAN itself contains numbers. On a bill, the full number is commonly displayed in a box beginning with the letter S, which stands for supply number.
No. The MPAN identifies the electricity supply point and normally remains the same when the supplier or tariff changes.
Normally, no. The new physical meter will have a different meter serial number, but the MPAN should remain associated with the same electricity supply point.
No. Your account number identifies your relationship with the electricity supplier. The MPAN identifies the electricity supply point at the premises.
Yes. Use the Energy Networks Association service to identify the local network operator, then use the operator’s supplier enquiry service or contact it directly.
Yes. A property can have several MPANs where it has multiple supplies, separate metering arrangements or both electricity import and export connections.
A supplier or broker may provide an initial estimate without one, but the correct MPAN will usually be needed to identify the supply, verify its technical details and complete a switch.
An MPAN is an identifying reference rather than a password. However, it is sensible to share it only with relevant suppliers, brokers, network operators and authorised representatives.
Summary
The easiest ways to find your business electricity MPAN are:
- Check a recent electricity bill.
- Download a bill from your supplier’s online account.
- Ask your current electricity supplier.
- Identify your DNO through the Energy Networks Association.
- Use the DNO’s supplier and MPAN enquiry service.
- Ask your landlord, managing agent or previous occupier.
- Check new connection and meter installation documents.
When using the MPAN, make sure it relates to the correct property, unit and electricity meter. This is particularly important for multi-occupancy buildings and businesses operating across several locations.
