How a more flexible energy grid can cope better with swings in Britain’s weather

Tuesday 21 Oct 2025
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For most Brits, January 8 2025 was an uneventful Wednesday, albeit slightly cold. But these low temperatures, coupled with a significant drop in wind speed, contributed to a spike in the real-time electricity price to over seven times the 2024-25 winter average.

The National Energy System Operator (Neso), the organisation responsible for balancing electricity supply with demand minute-by-minute, highlighted “weather driven factors” as a major challenge on January 8. Neso’s costs to produce enough electricity to balance the system on this day reached £21 million – costs that increase consumer bills.

Read more in The Conversation