UK Electricity Grid Report 2026

In 2026 (year to date), Great Britain generated 151 TWh of electricity. Wind was the biggest single source at 25.9%. Renewables (wind, solar and hydro) supplied 41.2%, or 47.6% counting biomass, and each unit generated averaged 141gCO₂ per kWh. Carbon intensity rose 14.3 g on 2025, one of the occasional backwards steps in an otherwise falling series.

2026 is in progress: figures cover the year to date and will settle when the year completes.

Automated summaryGreat Britain's electricity grid has continued its low carbon transition in 2026 to date, with renewables including wind, solar and hydro accounting for 41.2% of generation, rising to 47.6% when biomass is included, and low carbon sources reaching 58.7% overall. Wind was the single largest contributor at 25.9%, ahead of gas at 24.9% and nuclear at 11.2%, while coal maintained a zero share across 4,401 coal-free hours, supporting an average carbon intensity of 141.2 gCO2/kWh. Total generation stood at 151.03 TWh against national demand of 116.6 TWh, with a peak half-hour demand of 47.32 GW. The average wholesale market index price was £94.22/MWh, and the market recorded 101 hours of negative pricing.

Renewables share

41.2%

47.6% incl. biomass

Low carbon share

58.7%

renewables + nuclear

Carbon intensity

141 g

per kWh · low 20 g, high 311 g

Generation

151 TWh

incl. estimated embedded wind and solar

Coal share

4,401 coal-free hours

Peak wind output

18.4 GW

highest half-hour average

The 2026 generation mix, fuel by fuel

share of GB generation

Wind25.9% · 39.06 TWh
Gas24.9% · 37.54 TWh
Imports14.5% · 21.95 TWh
Nuclear11.2% · 16.86 TWh
Solar7.3% · 11.08 TWh
Biomass6.4% · 9.62 TWh
Other1.9% · 2.86 TWh
Hydro1.2% · 1.79 TWh
Storage0.5% · 0.8 TWh

Wholesale prices in 2026

market index (MID), volume-weighted across APX and N2EX

The average UK wholesale electricity price in 2026 (year to date) was £94.22 per MWh on the market index (MID) basis. Prices were negative for 101 hours across the year. The most expensive half hour came on 23 June 2026 (settlement period 42) at £560.81 per MWh; the cheapest, £-58.54, came on 5 April 2026.

Average price

£94.22

per MWh, volume-weighted

Highest half hour

£561

23 June 2026, period 42

Lowest half hour

£-58.54

5 April 2026

Negative price hours

101

price below £0/MWh

Electricity demand in 2026

GB initial national demand outturn (INDO/INDOD), Elexon

Great Britain used 116.6 TWh of electricity in 2026 (year to date). The hungriest day was 6 January 2026 (901.2 GWh); the quietest, 13 June 2026 (429.3 GWh). Demand peaked at 47.32 GW on 5 January 2026 (settlement period 35).

Total demand

116.6 TWh

national demand outturn

Peak half hour

47.32 GW

5 January 2026

Highest day

901.2 GWh

6 January 2026

Quietest day

429.3 GWh

13 June 2026

Electricity supplied, 2009 to 2026

TWh per year, generation basis incl. estimated embedded wind and solar

Britain supplies markedly less electricity than it did in 2009, even as the economy has grown: efficiency, LED lighting and offshored industry all pushed demand down while the mix decarbonised.

How 2026 compares

Versus 2025: renewables +3.5 points, carbon intensity +14.3 g.
Versus 2009, the first year on record: renewables up 37.8 points (from 3.4%), and each unit of electricity 68.3% cleaner (445 g to 141 g).
Explore the neighbouring years: 2025 or the full year-by-year table.

Cite this report

You are welcome to reuse the figures on this page with a link back. Suggested citation:

Purely Energy, "UK Electricity Grid Report 2026", purelyenergy.co.uk/grid-report/2026. Derived from NESO historic generation mix data.

2026 grid questions, answered

How green was UK electricity in 2026?

In 2026 (year to date), wind, solar and hydro supplied 41.2% of GB generation (47.6% including biomass), low-carbon sources supplied 58.7%, and the average carbon intensity was 141 gCO2 per kWh.

What was the biggest source of UK electricity in 2026?

Wind was the largest single source in 2026, supplying 25.9% of GB generation. The full fuel-by-fuel breakdown is on this page.

How much coal did the UK burn for electricity in 2026?

None. Coal supplied 0% of GB generation in 2026; Britain's last coal power station, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, closed on 30 September 2024.

What was the average UK wholesale electricity price in 2026?

The average UK wholesale electricity price in 2026 (year to date) was £94.22 per MWh on the market index (MID) basis, volume-weighted across the year's half-hourly trading.

How many hours were UK power prices negative in 2026?

UK wholesale power prices (market index basis) were negative for 101 hours in 2026 (year to date).

How much electricity did Great Britain use in 2026?

Great Britain used 116.6 TWh of electricity in 2026 (year to date), on the national demand outturn basis (Elexon INDOD).

What was GB peak electricity demand in 2026?

GB electricity demand peaked at 47.32 GW in 2026 (year to date), on 5 January 2026 (settlement period 35), on the national demand outturn basis.

Use the data

Every figure on this page, as a CSV you can drop into a spreadsheet.

Download 2026 data (CSV)

Basis: NESO historic generation mix (GB transmission generation plus estimated embedded wind and solar), aggregated by calendar year, energy-weighted. Renewables is NESO's wind + solar + hydro measure; the biomass-inclusive share is shown alongside. See the live version of this data on our real-time grid map and today's prices on wholesale market data.

Data comes from the Elexon Insights Solution (BMRS), the NESO Data Portal and the Carbon Intensity API, a project by the National Energy System Operator and the University of Oxford Department of Computer Science. Contains BMRS data © Elexon Limited copyright and database right 2026.

Energy decisions for the grid of 2026

The mix above sets the shape of wholesale prices. We turn it into procurement strategy for businesses across the UK, from fixed contracts to flexible purchasing.

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