Power supply firm Northern Powergrid says it is investing billions into its network across the North East, but has missed some key power cut targets due to bad weather. The Newcastle-based business operates the power lines and infrastructure that serves about 1.6 million customers living from the far North Northumberland to York, and west to the Pennines.
Investment Plans
Newly published accounts show Northern Powergrid (Northeast) plc invested £271.4 million during 2025, as part of a £2.8 billion investment plan stretching to 2028. That spending included refurbishing transformers, rebuilding overhead lines, replacing cables, and changing damaged poles, among other works to its 42,000 km of overhead and underground cables and more than 28,000 substations.
There was also continued installation of an automatic power restoration system on its high voltage network. At low voltage, "next generation" equipment featuring sensors to detect faults was introduced.
Missed Targets
The upgrades come as Northern Powergrid missed key power cut targets set by industry regulator Ofgem. On the measure of customer minutes lost—the average number of supply minutes lost for every connected customer due to power cuts of longer than three minutes—the company reported 46.8 minutes, which is more than the target of 41.1 minutes, but reduced from 2023/24 levels of 49.5 minutes.
On customer interruptions—the average number of supply interruptions per every 100 connected customers due to power cuts of more than three minutes—Northern Powergrid measured 51 minutes, more than the target of 46.7 minutes and up from the 2023/24 level of 48.6 minutes. Bosses said the results were due to bad weather during the year and increased planned works to upgrade equipment.
The overall length of power cuts decreased by 4.8% when compared to 2024. Those figures came as the North East was battered early in 2025 by the powerful Storm Éowyn before Storm Bram brought wind and rain late in the year.
Financial Performance
The accounts also show that operating profits at the company fell from £264.1 million to £183.3 million during the year, as revenue fell from £536.4 million to £457.9 million. A £160 million dividend was paid, with Northern Powergrid's owner being US conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway.
Alex Jones, finance director at Northern Powergrid, said: "Northern Powergrid is investing £2.8 billion in the current five-year regulatory period through to 2028, following the successful delivery of a £3 billion eight-year investment plan between 2015 and 2023, upgrading the power network to homes and businesses across the North East, Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.
"To support this investment, since 2005 Northern Powergrid has reinvested over 70% of its profits, after tax, back into the business.
"We are committed to providing the best possible service to our customers and our investment programmes ensure we are continuing to improve network resilience and reliability for our customers, and helping to create a greener energy system for the communities we serve."
