MADE IN BRITAIN
—GW
Latest available reading · Power generated in Britain, excluding imports. Estimated rooftop solar is included when available.
THE ELECTRICITY SYSTEM, EXPLAINED
How is Britain getting its electricity right now?
See where our electricity comes from, how much we import, and what it costs on the market — explained without the jargon.
You do not need to know what a gigawatt is. The cards below explain where the power comes from, what we buy from abroad, and when prices are unusually high.
LOCAL TIME · LONDON--:--:--—
ELECTRICITY WE ARE USING✳
—GW
Latest available reading · Britain’s national electricity demand, reported for a half-hour.
Wider electricity-system demand: — GW
ELECTRICITY FROM OVERSEAS◈
—GW
Latest available reading · Net electricity imported (+) or exported (−) during a reported half-hour.
SHORT-TERM ELECTRICITY PRICE£
—£/MWh
Latest available reading · Short-term wholesale trading price, not the rate on your bill.
Why don't the three figures add up exactly?
They are measured at different times and cover different parts of the grid. National Demand (INDO) deliberately excludes power-station auxiliary demand, pumped-storage and electricity-storage charging, and electricity exported over interconnectors. Transmission System Demand (ITSDO), shown under the demand figure, includes those additional requirements.
Domestic generation is a recent generation snapshot that can include an estimate of embedded solar. The demand figures are half-hour averages, and the signed interconnector flows are reported by settlement period. Their measurement timestamps need not coincide, so adding the three headline figures will not give a meaningful instantaneous balance.
Awaiting demand settlement period.
THE BIG PICTURE
What does this mean for Britain?
Checking the latest data…
We'll explain imports and short-term prices when reliable readings arrive.
These explain unusual readings, not grid emergencies. Imports can be a commercial choice, not a sign that Britain is running short.
WHAT COULD MAKE THE GRID MORE RESILIENT?
Three ways to tackle the underlying problems
More dependable power
Generation that is available when wind and solar are low can reduce how often Britain needs expensive backup or imports. That can include nuclear, flexible gas and other dependable sources.
Better storage and flexibility
Batteries and flexible electricity use can move power from times when it is plentiful to times when demand is higher. Long shortages of wind need longer-duration solutions.
Move power where it is needed
Stronger transmission links can reduce the need to pay generators to turn down while replacing their electricity elsewhere.
These are possible improvements, not a claim that any one technology explains today’s imports or prices. We publish measured costs separately on the Balancing Costs page.
LIVE GENERATION
Where Britain’s power is coming from
Loading generation mix from Elexon…
Select the generation chart to see the current generation fuels and the latest signed half-hourly interconnector flows. *Generation shares exclude interconnector transfers and include Sheffield Solar's embedded PV estimate when fresh; embedded wind may be missing. National demand is reported independently using Elexon's INDO series.
SYSTEM HEALTH
Is the grid running normally?
SYSTEM FREQUENCY
—Hz
49.5 Hz50.0 Hz50.5 Hz
Awaiting latest frequency observation.
NUCLEAR—GW
EST. SOLAR PV—GW
ELECTRICITY FROM OVERSEAS—GW
Checking primary-source availability
THE LAST 24 HOURS OR 7 DAYS
How our electricity supply changes
Compare demand, estimated solar, wind, gas, nuclear and interconnector flows. Select a point on either chart to examine the same period on both.
Waiting for historical generation data…
Demand (INDO)Solar PV (estimated)WindCCGTNuclearInterconnector flow (±)
Demand and solar values are reported for half-hour periods. Fuel readings can update more frequently; missing measurements are left blank rather than estimated. The two charts highlight the nearest reported observations and display their timestamps.
WHAT ELECTRICITY COSTS · OVER TIME
When has electricity been expensive?
Track short-term electricity trading prices over the last day or week. Higher readings can signal a more expensive period for suppliers, not an instant change to your home tariff.
LAST REPORTED—
PERIOD MEDIAN—
PERIOD HIGH—
Waiting for Elexon APX prices…
Hover or tap either chart to compare generation and wholesale prices at the same reported time.
These are short-term trading prices, not the rate on your home bill. Hover or tap the chart to see prices for individual periods.
GRID COSTS
What does balancing the grid cost?
See the daily cost of keeping electricity flowing safely, including paying power stations to turn up or down. We explain how much of that cost is equivalent to a typical home.
EXPLORE GRID COSTS ↗KNOW WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT
The price on this page is not your bill
The short-term trading price can swing quickly. Your domestic tariff is set differently, and changes much less often.
EXPLORE IMBALANCE PRICES ↗