The basics of electrifying for emergency services

Electrification is no longer a future goal; it’s happening now — and for police and fire services, getting it right is mission‑critical.

Police and fire estates are under pressure to meet Net Zero targets while maintaining operational readiness and upgrading infrastructure safely.

But for many, the world of electricity networks feels complicated.

What does electrification actually involve? Who delivers it? And why do roles like ICPs and IDNOs matter?

Getting clear on these questions can materially affect cost, delivery time and operational risk. Let’s break it down.

What does electrification actually mean?

Electrification isn’t just about installing EV chargers.

For police and fire services, it’s about ensuring sites have the electrical capacity and resilience to support new vehicles, equipment and digital systems. Without risking downtime or operational disruption.

That means understanding:

• How much power your estate can safely support today
• What upgrades are required for future demand
• How electricity infrastructure is planned, delivered and adopted

Getting this wrong can delay projects, increase costs or compromise service readiness.

Getting it right starts with planning ahead and understanding how your electricity supply really works.

Who are the key players?

DNO (Distribution Network Operator):
Your local electricity company that owns and operates the regional network.

ICP (Independent Connection Provider):
A specialist accredited to design and build new connections and supply upgrades. ICPs operate under the National Electricity Registration Scheme (NERS) and can deliver projects from low voltage up to 132kV.

IDNO (Independent Distribution Network Operator):
A licensed operator that adopts, owns and maintains electricity networks. IDNOs follow the same Ofgem regulations as DNOs, meaning safety, reliability and service standards are identical, while often simplifying delivery.

Why consider an IDNO?

IDNOs offer the same reliability and safety as DNOs, with added benefits tailored to operational estates:

• Cost reduction via Asset Value – We share a portion of future regulated income with you upfront as an Asset Value contribution — used to reduce capital costs.
• Speed and simplicity – Fewer interfaces and a single accountable partner streamline design, approvals and energisation.
• Future‑proofing for growth – Designs that anticipate EV charging, renewables and site expansion — without compromising resilience.

Common challenges we solve:

• Delays and unclear communication from DNOs that stall critical timelines.
• Confusion over capacity and MPANs, especially across multi‑site estates.
• Unexpected upgrade costs and late‑stage scope changes.

How Stark makes it simple

We’re both a NERS-accredited ICP and an Ofgem-licensed IDNO.

That means we can design, build, and operate your network; and integrate everything under one roof – from EV infrastructure to metering and data analytics.

Through Asset Value, we invest alongside you, reducing upfront costs while remaining accountable for the performance and resilience of the network over its lifetime.

It’s a partnership built on confidence, alignment and trust. Not just delivery.

One partner, one process, complete confidence.

We manage DNO engagement, capacity planning, design and delivery, plus land rights/easements and adoption agreements for substations and cables — helping secure supply and reduce risk on operational sites.