Plug-in solar is now legal to use in Great Britain. SI 2026/848 came into force on 27 August 2026 and Ofgem has approved the G98 connection changes — only kits listed on the ENA Type Test Register may be used, and Northern Ireland is not covered. Read the UK legal status

MyPlugInSolar

Prices

E.ON cleared to buy OVO: what it means for SEG

The CMA cleared E.ON’s acquisition of OVO on 1 October. Two of the six suppliers in our export table are about to become one. Nothing changes today, and we will say so until it does.

Written and edited by Christopher Panteli

·

Christopher is the founder and editor of MyPlugInSolar. He oversees the site’s research standards, data tools and editorial process. He is not an electrician or solar installer, and specialist technical claims are sourced from official documentation or reviewed by appropriately qualified professionals.

At a glance

  • The Competition and Markets Authority cleared the anticipated acquisition of OVO Energy by E.ON SE at phase 1 on 1 October 2026. The full decision was published on 6 October.
  • Nothing changes today for an OVO or E.ON Next customer, including anyone on either supplier’s export tariff.
  • MoneySavingExpert reports that the two will operate separately until the takeover completes and that “all existing tariffs will be honoured throughout the takeover”.
  • Our export table lists E.ON Next and OVO as two of six suppliers, with different rates and different certificate wording. Both rows stay as we read them.
  • When OVO customers are moved across, we will re-read both suppliers’ pages and re-date the table.

On 1 October 2026 the Competition and Markets Authority cleared, at phase 1, the anticipated acquisition of OVO Energy Ltd by E.ON SE, through E.ON UK Limited. In the CMA’s words: “The CMA has cleared the anticipated acquisition by E.ON SE (through E.ON UK Limited) of OVO Energy Ltd.” The full text of the decision was published on its case page on 6 October.

We are covering a merger because of one specific consequence: our Smart Export Guarantee table, published on 5 October, lists six suppliers’ export rates and the evidence each one asks for. Two of those six are E.ON Next and OVO.

What changes today: nothing

MoneySavingExpert reported on 2 October that “Ovo and E.on will continue to operate separately until the takeover goes through”, that “your energy tariff will remain the same” and that “all existing tariffs will be honoured throughout the takeover”, with no interruption to supply and no change to direct debits or payment methods. It notes that the combined business would become Britain’s largest supplier, with around 9.6 million household customers, and that no completion date has been given.

So if you are on an OVO or E.ON Next export tariff, or thinking of applying to either, the position is unchanged. We have left both rows in the table exactly as we read them on 5 October, with that date attached.

Why it matters for an export tariff later

The two suppliers currently offer different things. When we read their own pages on 5 October, OVO listed a 4p per kWh rate open to customers of any supplier, 12p for OVO customers and up to 20p where OVO did the installation; E.ON Next listed 16.5p and 13p on fixed terms and 6p variable, with the higher rates for systems its own installer or Eco2Solar fitted. Their evidence wording differs too, though both ask for an MCS or Flexi-Orb certificate.

Two rate cards and two sets of conditions cannot survive a merger indefinitely. When OVO customers are moved onto E.ON systems, whichever terms survive will apply — and that is the moment our table needs re-reading rather than today.

What it means for plug-in solar owners

Honestly? Less than the headline suggests, and for a reason worth repeating.

  • A self-installed plug-in kit does not qualify for either supplier’s export tariff. Both ask for a certificate relating to the installation, issued by an installer. That was true of all six suppliers we read, and a merger does not change it.
  • Savings come from self-consumption, not export. Our calculator defaults export income to zero for exactly this reason.
  • If you have rooftop solar and an export tariff with either supplier, nothing about this changes it now. Watch for a letter rather than acting on a merger announcement.
  • One fewer independent rate card is the thing to keep an eye on over time. Six suppliers with six positions is more useful to a household than five.

We will update the table when the brands actually merge, and we will date it when we do. For the current position, see the Smart Export Guarantee and whether plug-in solar can export to the grid.

Sources

  1. 1. E.ON / OVO merger inquiry — phase 1 clearance decision (decision 1 October 2026; full text published 6 October 2026) — Competition and Markets Authority (GOV.UK), 1 October 2026
  2. 2. Ovo energy customer? You’ll be moved to E.on as a takeover deal has been agreed — MoneySavingExpert, 2 October 2026

Read the full guide

Where the UK rules stand

Plug-in solar has been legal to use in Great Britain since 27 August 2026, when SI 2026/848 came into force alongside Ofgem-approved changes to the G98 connection code — provided the kit is listed as compliant on the ENA Type Test Register. Northern Ireland is not covered. See the current legal status and our editorial policy.

More updates

Back to all updates