Britain’s electricity grid is on track to experience its lowest-ever demand in the summer of 2025, according to recent projections. Our forecast for the peak demand months between April and October has a peak demand of 29.7 gigawatts (GW). We anticipate reduced demand for electricity. This dramatic shift was primarily a result of our increasing dependence on renewable energy, particularly solar energy.
It’s hard to overstate just how good solar power generation was in March and April of this year. It even hit a new all-time high of 12.68 GW! During the same period, this increase in solar energy production overwhelmed Britain’s entire import capacity from European interconnectors. The National Electricity System Operator (NESO) has been monitoring a possible loss in the capacity of the electricity transmission network. This summer, it may run under 13.4 GW during peak times, a drastic change from past summers.
The operator of Britain’s gas network assures it will be able to provide a strong gas supply to meet the anticipated demand this summer. They project total gas consumption will be only 29 billion cubic meters (bcm). That is up from the 28 bcm that was noted in summer 2024. The operator made assurances that they expect to supply sufficient supply to meet the demand. They are ready to meet operational reserve requirements during the height of the season.
Beyond addressing today’s energy needs NESO has made exciting commitments beyond addressing continuing energy needs today. Together, this step is expected to free up roughly £40 billion ($52.8 billion) worth of investment every year, with a focus on projects that boost clean energy. These reforms are important to Britain as it moves toward a greener energy generation mix. They ensure a constant source of electricity, supporting overall grid stability and balance.
Indeed, the summer of 2025 will be so low it will shatter the prior record low—achieved in the middle of the June 2020 Covid-19 lockdowns. This transition is emblematic of a larger trend toward localized consumption and distributed energy generation. Renewable sources, especially solar, are getting cheaper and more productive. This transformation is changing the way our country thinks about and manages energy supply and demand.
This change will enable the UK to increasingly enjoy the benefits of importing power. Traditional power plants will be there to back up this transition. We expand the energy supply to increase grid resiliency and move toward more sustainable fuels. Simultaneously, we address the triple crisis of carbon emissions.