The NDA has the following key characteristics:
- Established: April 2005
- Legislation: Energy Act 2004
- Staff: Just over 200
- Headquarters: West Cumbria
- Sites owned: 17 sites across England, Wales and Scotland
- Reports to: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ); for some Scottish work, to Scottish Ministers
- Annual budget: Approximately £3.24 billion (2017/18), of which £2.36 billion is government grant-in-aid and £0.88 billion is income from commercial operations