UK Non-Commodity Charge · System Balancing
BSUoS (Electricity)
Current rates, who sets them, and where they are forecast to go.
What BSUoS (Electricity)is, who sets the rate, what the revenue funds, and where it's heading. Sourced daily from the Purely Energy non-commodity cost data hub.
BSUoS (Electricity): what it is, who charges it, and what it pays for
What it is
The BSUoS (Electricity) charge in plain English
Pays for keeping the electricity system balanced second-by-second, matching generation to demand in real time. Covers ancillary services, constraint payments and system reserves. Fixed tariff since April 2023.
Introduced 2001 (NETA). Reformed to fixed tariff from April 2023.
Who charges it
The body that sets the rate
NESO, fixed tariff in two 6-month blocks (H1 Apr-Sep, H2 Oct-Mar)
Unit
p/kWh
Applies to
UK business electricity
What it pays for
Where the revenue ends up
Real-time electricity system balancing and security of supply
Published rate history
| Financial year | Rate | YoY change | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | 0.4680p/kWh | - | published |
| FY2021 | 1.083p/kWh | +131.4% | published |
| FY2022 | 0.8500p/kWh | -21.5% | published |
| FY2023 | 1.372p/kWh | +61.4% | published |
| FY2024 | 0.9900p/kWh | -27.8% | published |
| FY2025 | 1.321p/kWh | +33.5% | published |
Forecast trajectory
AI-assisted forecasts from our deep-research pipeline. P10, P50 and P90 are the 10th, 50th and 90th percentile outcomes; P50 is the central estimate.
| Year | P10 | P50 | P90 | Confidence | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | - | 1.312 | - | - | |
| 2031 | - | 1.338 | - | - | |
| 2032 | - | 1.364 | - | - | |
| 2033 | - | 1.392 | - | - | |
| 2034 | - | 1.420 | - | - |
BSUoS (Electricity) FAQs
What is the BSUoS (Electricity) charge?
Pays for keeping the electricity system balanced second-by-second, matching generation to demand in real time. Covers ancillary services, constraint payments and system reserves. Fixed tariff since April 2023.
Who sets the BSUoS (Electricity) rate?
The BSUoS (Electricity) rate is set by NESO, fixed tariff in two 6-month blocks (H1 Apr-Sep, H2 Oct-Mar).
What does BSUoS (Electricity) pay for?
BSUoS (Electricity) revenue supports Real-time electricity system balancing and security of supply.
What is the current BSUoS (Electricity) rate?
For financial year 2025, the published BSUoS (Electricity) rate is 1.321 p/kWh.
What is the BSUoS (Electricity) forecast?
Our latest forecast for 2026 is 1.312 p/kWh.
Calculate your BSUoS (Electricity) exposure
Enter an MPAN or postcode + kWh/kVA to see BSUoS (Electricity) alongside every other non-commodity line item for this year and next.
NCC forecasting
Forward-modelled non-commodity costs for I&C buyers who need to stress-test contract decisions.
All UK energy charges
Browse every non-commodity charge with current published rates and forecast trajectory.
Rate data sourced from the Purely Energy non-commodity cost data hub (dh.purelyenergy.co.uk). Published rates come from statutory publications by the body listed above. Forecasts are AI-generated from published guidance and market trends; treat P50 as a central estimate and reference P10/P90 for sensitivity.