Do you know your MPAN?
A Meter Point Administration Number also known as MPAN, Supply Number or S-Number is a 21 digit reference, used in the UK to uniquely identify electricity supply points, such as individual business premises; the gas equivalent is the Meter Point Reference Number.
Do you know your MPAN? (Meter Point Reference Number)
You should find your MPAN printed on your electricity bill.
The first 2 digits in the top line identify your meter profile class.
The bottom line of 13 digits is the part most often used to identify the supply.
The system was introduced in 1998 in order to provide a competitive environment for the electricity companies. The system enables businesses to easily switch supplier as well as administration being simplified. Although the name suggests that an MPAN refers to a particular meter, an MPAN can have several meters associated with it, or indeed none. A supply receiving power from the DNO (Distribution Network Operator) network will have an Import MPAN. Generation projects, feeding back into the DNO network are sometimes given Export MPANs, although many modern meters can register both import and export data.
Also known as the Supply Number, the MPAN is a unique identifier for the supply to a particular address and is needed in order to change the supplier. This is divided into two parts: the MPAN Core, (13 digits at the bottom) and the Supplementary Data (8 digits at the top) as depicted in the figure above. (MPAN number should not be confused with your customer reference number)
MPAN Core
A 13-digit number (the bottom line of the Supply Number) made up of the: Distributor Identifier or the company which provides the distribution networks for the supply address (first two digits); the Meter Point ID which is linked to the supply address (an 8 digit number); and the Check number (three digits long). The MPAN Core of 13 digits is used for most purposes.
MPAN Supplementary Data
The 8-digit number on the top line of the Supply Number. It indicates the Profile Class, Meter Time Switch Code (MTC) details and the Line Loss Factor Code.