⚡ UK Energy — Live Dashboard

Wind speeds at major generation sites — now

Below cut-in (<3.5 m/s) Generating (3.5–12 m/s) Full power (12–25 m/s) Cut-out (>25 m/s)

Hornsea

North Sea · Clear

6.5 m/s 14.4 mph

Gusts: 5.3 m/s · 11.9 mph

Generating

Whitelee

Scotland · Overcast

7.7 m/s 17.1 mph

Gusts: 9.3 m/s · 20.8 mph

Generating

Dogger Bank

North Sea · Clear

4.2 m/s 9.4 mph

Gusts: 4 m/s · 8.9 mph

Generating

Irish Sea

NW England · Clear

9.6 m/s 21.4 mph

Gusts: 8.1 m/s · 18.1 mph

Generating

Thames Est.

SE England · Clear

8.5 m/s 18.9 mph

Gusts: 10.1 m/s · 22.6 mph

Generating

Wash/Norfolk

East England · Clear

6.5 m/s 14.4 mph

Gusts: 7 m/s · 15.7 mph

Generating

Wind speed at 80m hub height · Cut-in: 3.5 m/s · Rated: 12 m/s · Cut-out: 25 m/s · Source: Open-Meteo

Carbon saved today vs an all-gas grid — since midnight

CO₂ saved

51,942

tonnes since midnight

Grid carbon intensity

158 gCO₂/kWh

vs 233g for pure gas grid

Saving per kWh

75 g

every kWh used right now

Equivalent to

🚗 432,850

cars off the road today

Or kettles not boiled

🫖 1,484,057,143

avg kettle boil = 35g CO₂

Hours of data

19.7 hrs

since midnight · updates every 5 min

Grid cleanliness right now 32% cleaner than pure gas

Saving calculated vs a hypothetical all-CCGT-gas grid at 233 gCO₂/kWh · MW × hours gives approximate kWh generated · tonnes CO₂ = saving × kWh ÷ 1,000,000 · car equivalent assumes 120g/km × 10km average journey · updates on every page refresh.

Generation mix — right now

35.2 GW

total demand

Gas 40.1% 14.1 GW

Imports 12.6% 4.4 GW

Wind 12.2% 4.3 GW

Solar 10.1% 3.6 GW

Nuclear 8.4% 3.0 GW

Other 7.0% 2.5 GW

Biomass 5.6% 2.0 GW

Hydro 4.0% 1.4 GW

Gas

14.1 GW

40.1%

Imports

4.4 GW

12.6%

Wind

4.3 GW

12.2%

Solar

3.6 GW

10.1%

Nuclear

3.0 GW

8.4%

Other

2.5 GW

7.0%

Biomass

2.0 GW

5.6%

Hydro

1.4 GW

4.0%

Source: National Grid ESO / Carbon Intensity API · Interconnector imports include France, Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Ireland.

Generation trends today vs yesterday

Wind & solar — % of grid

Wind today Solar today Wind yest. Solar yest.

3-hourly snapshots · % of GB generation · Carbon Intensity API

Gas & nuclear — % of grid

Gas today Nuclear today Gas yest. Nuclear yest.

Nuclear stays flat · Gas rises as wind drops — watch the inverse relationship

Grid frequency — live

UK grid frequency · updated 19:43:45 · target 50.000 Hz

50.030 Hz

Stable — 0.030 Hz above target · 5-min range: 49.925–50.043 Hz

49.5 Hz (low limit)50.0 Hz50.5 Hz (high limit)

Last 5 minutes · each bar = 15 seconds

What frequency tells us

The UK grid runs at exactly 50 Hz. When demand exceeds supply, frequency falls. When supply exceeds demand, it rises.

Statutory limits are 49.5–50.5 Hz. Below 49.5 Hz triggers automatic generator trips and potential blackouts.

Dinorwig can restore frequency in 16 seconds. Grid batteries respond in under 1 second.

Current reading: frequency is above target — the grid is slightly supply-heavy right now.

Source: Elexon Insights API · 15-second resolution · Statutory limits ±0.5 Hz · Operational target ±0.2 Hz

Interconnectors — cross-border electricity links

Total imports now

4.4 GW

49% of total interconnector capacity

Total interconnector capacity

9.0 GW

8 links across 6 countries

Imports % of grid

12.6%

From live Carbon Intensity API

Utilisation

49%

Of max import capacity

IFA (France)

Interconnexion France-Angleterre · HVDC

2.0 GW max capacity

Est. now: 984 MW · 49% utilised

IFA2 (France)

Normandy to Fareham · opened 2021

1.0 GW max capacity

Est. now: 492 MW · 49% utilised

BritNed (Netherlands)

Isle of Grain to Maasvlakte

1.0 GW max capacity

Est. now: 492 MW · 49% utilised

NEMO (Belgium)

Richborough to Herdersbrug

1.0 GW max capacity

Est. now: 492 MW · 49% utilised

Viking (Denmark)

Bicker Fen to Revsing · opened 2023

1.4 GW max capacity

Est. now: 689 MW · 49% utilised

NSL (Norway)

Blyth to Kvilldal · Norwegian hydro

1.4 GW max capacity

Est. now: 689 MW · 49% utilised

Moyle (N. Ireland)

Auchencrosh to Ballycronan More

500 MW max capacity

Est. now: 246 MW · 49% utilised

Celtic (Ireland)

Pembrokeshire to Wexford · opened 2024

700 MW max capacity

Est. now: 345 MW · 49% utilised

Total import MW from Carbon Intensity API · distributed proportionally by capacity · per-link live metering not publicly available · Viking and NSL can also export UK wind to continent.

Ofgem price cap — Q2 2026

Annual cap (typical household)

£1,862

1 Apr – 30 Jun 2026 · down 6.6% from Q1

Electricity unit rate

26.11p/kWh

Standing charge: 57.19p/day

Gas unit rate

7.33p/kWh

Standing charge: 29.04p/day

Q3 announcement in

47 days

26 Aug 2026 · covers Jul–Sep 2026

Cap expires in

82 days

30 Sep 2026

Q3 forecast direction

▲ Higher

Hormuz tensions pushing wholesale up

Ofgem sets the cap quarterly · next review 26 Aug · new cap starts 1 Oct 2026 · applies to standard variable tariffs only · update unit rates each quarter in the PHP.

Grid-scale battery storage — BESS

Likely discharging

Evening peak — batteries releasing stored energy

6.9 GW

12,900 MWh total · end 2025

Operational capacity

12,900 MWh

+45% growth in 2025

Power output

6.9 GW

Instantaneous discharge capacity

Response time

<1 second

vs 16 sec for Dinorwig pumped storage

2030 target

50 GWh

Pipeline: 130+ GWh approved

Minety

Wiltshire

Power150 MW

Storage150 MWh

OwnerShell Energy / China Huaneng

Li-ion

Pillswood

East Yorkshire

Power98 MW

Storage196 MWh

OwnerHarmony Energy

Tesla Megapack

Capenhurst

Cheshire

Power100 MW

Storage100 MWh

OwnerGresham House

Li-ion

Gateway Energy Centre

Essex

Power450 MW

Storage900 MWh

OwnerAmp Energy

Li-ion

Kincardine

Aberdeenshire

Power400 MW

Storage800 MWh

OwnerAmp Energy

Li-ion

Trafford (planned)

Manchester

Power1040 MW

Storage2080 MWh

OwnerCarlton Power

Li-ion planned

Pembroke (planned)

South Wales

Power350 MW

Storage700 MWh

OwnerRWE

Li-ion planned

UK operational BESS: 12.9 GWh / 6.9 GW as of end 2025 · Source: Energy Storage News · Status inferred from grid conditions · Individual site metering not publicly available.

Pumped storage — the grid's gravity battery

Likely discharging

Evening peak demand — releasing stored water through turbines · Renewables now: 22% · Inferred from grid conditions

2.83 GW

total UK capacity · 24.3 GWh storage

Dinorwig

Snowdonia, Wales · Built 1984

Max output1.73 GW

Storage9.1 GWh

Response time16 seconds

💧 Built to handle the TV pickup — can power 1.7m homes instantly

Cruachan

Argyll, Scotland · Built 1965

Max output0.44 GW

Storage7.1 GWh

Response time30 seconds

💧 Known as "the hollow mountain" — open for public tours

Ffestiniog

Snowdonia, Wales · Built 1963

Max output0.36 GW

Storage1.8 GWh

Response time60 seconds

💧 Oldest pumped storage in the UK — still going strong

Foyers

Inverness-shire, Scotland · Built 1975

Max output0.3 GW

Storage6.3 GWh

Response time60 seconds

💧 Originally built to power an aluminium smelter

Total capacity

2.83 GW

All 4 operational sites

Total storage

24.3 GWh

Combined reservoir capacity

Fastest response

16 seconds

Dinorwig — standby to full power

Pipeline capacity

2.55 GW

New projects consented/planned

New pumped storage — in the pipeline

Coire Glas

Consented — awaiting FID

Capacity1.5 GW

Storage30 GWh

OwnerSSE Renewables

Would be UK's largest ever pumped storage — 1.5 GW for 20 hours

Red John

Consented 2024

Capacity0.45 GW

Storage10.8 GWh

OwnerStatera Energy

Near Loch Ness — upper reservoir on hillside above loch

Loch na Cathrach

In development

Capacity0.6 GW

Storage12 GWh

OwnerDrax Group

Near existing Cruachan site — benefits from existing grid connection

Charging/discharging status inferred from renewables % and time of day — not directly metered. Pumped storage counted within hydro % in Carbon Intensity API. Efficiency ~75-80%.

Gas demand breakdown & wholesale prices

Gas — wholesale

85.1p/therm

This week: ▼ -2.7%

Gas — wholesale per kWh

2.9p/kWh

vs 6.24p retail (Ofgem cap)

Power — wholesale

78£/MWh

This week: ▲ +0.3%

Power — wholesale per kWh

7.78p/kWh

vs 24.5p retail (Ofgem cap)

Gas 30-day trend

▲ +1.9%

NBP day-ahead · 29 May 2026

Gas markup

2.2×

retail vs wholesale multiple

Wholesale: NBP day-ahead · update daily from smart-energy.uk · Retail: Ofgem Q2 2026 cap · 1 therm = 29.31 kWh · markup covers transmission, distribution, supplier margin, green levies & VAT

Power generation

118 mcm

38% of total demand

Domestic heating

89 mcm

29% of total demand

Industrial

62 mcm

20% of total demand

Exports

25 mcm

8% of total demand

Other

18 mcm

6% of total demand

Gas supply sources

North Sea (UK)

142 mcm

46% of supply

Norway (Langeled)

87 mcm

28% of supply

LNG terminals

54 mcm

17% of supply

Belgian interconnect

29 mcm

9% of supply

Total gas demand: 312 mcm/day · modelled from National Grid NTS published data · representative of a typical day.

Generation sites by type

Wind Solar Nuclear Hydro ⚡ Wind 2026+ ☀️ Solar pipeline

Springwell ground-mount

North Kesteven, Lincolnshire

Capacity0.8 GW

ExpectedApproved Apr 2026

OwnerAura Power

UK's largest solar farm by power output · 800 MW · powers ~180,000 homes · the one in the Telegraph!

Botley West ground-mount

Oxfordshire

Capacity0.84 GW

ExpectedUnder construction · 2026/27

OwnerPhotovolt Development Partners

840 MW · 971 hectares · single-axis trackers + bifacial panels · ~330,000 homes · subsidy-free

Tillbridge ground-mount

Gainsborough, Lincolnshire

Capacity0.5 GW

ExpectedApproved Oct 2025 · grid 2028

OwnerTribus Clean Energy / Recurrent Energy

500 MW solar + 250 MW co-located BESS · 3,000 acres · ~300,000 homes · NSIP fast-tracked

Cottam Solar ground-mount

Nottinghamshire

Capacity0.6 GW

ExpectedConsented · in development

OwnerLightsource BP

600 MW · former coal site · on track to be largest UK PV plant when commissioned

One Earth Solar ground-mount

High Marnham, Nottinghamshire

Capacity0.74 GW

ExpectedIn development · 2028

OwnerQueequeg Renewables

740 MW + integrated BESS · former coal power station site · ~200,000 homes

Sunnica Energy Farm ground-mount

Suffolk / Cambridgeshire

Capacity0.5 GW

ExpectedConsented · post-decision

OwnerSunnica Limited

500 MW · 2,400 acres across 4 sites · £600m project · integrated 150 MW BESS

Mandatory rooftop solar rooftop

England-wide

Capacity2.5 GW

ExpectedPolicy from Mar 2028

OwnerGovernment mandate

Future Homes Standard — all new homes must have solar panels covering 40% of ground floor area + heat pumps

Pipeline projects subject to construction timelines, grid connection availability and final investment decisions. Solar capacity factor ~11% UK annual average · peak sunny day ~60-70% of rated.