Grid operators claim that Britain will still have enough electricity this summer, despite the turmoil in Iran

The network operators in Britain said that the country will have enough electricity and gas this summer, despite a decline in domestic gas production, and fears over Middle East energy supplies.

The conflict in the Middle East disrupted energy shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and Qatari LNG production was halted. This accounts for about a fifth of the global supply of liquefied gas.

National Gas' Glenn Bryn-Jacobsen said that the Gas Summer Outlook 2026 showed the market could meet the demand for gas this summer.

ALTERNATIVE SOURCES

The UK Continental Shelf's domestic gas supply is expected to fall by 6% compared to last summer. This is due in part, because of the decline in North Sea production over many years.

National Gas?said that imports of LNG will increase by 65%, or a 24% rise, to 2.7 billion cubic meters.

Since the beginning of the war, wholesale gas prices have increased by 50%. This has forced Britain to pay higher prices to attract LNG cargoes.

The outlook stated that the duration of the higher prices would depend on the time it takes for Qatari production and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to recover.

The current price cap set by Ofgem will protect domestic energy consumers from higher wholesale prices until the end?of July.

The total gas demand for the summer is expected to be around 29,8 bcm, similar to the last summer.

National Gas says that gas-fired power stations typically provide around 30% to the country's electrical demand, but the demand fluctuates during the summer months depending on wind and solar energy.

SURPLUS OF ELECTRICITY IS EXPECTED

The National Energy System Operator stated in its outlook that Britain will likely see an excess of electricity this summer due to the strong wind and solar power output, as well as the lower demand during this season.

NESO is responsible for the electricity network in the country. It has increased flexibility.

The peak summer electricity demand is expected to be 29.7 gigawatts - unchanged from 2025.

The outlooks cover the period between April 1 and September 30 when demand for gas and electricity is usually lower.

Operators said that the winter outlook covering October to march, which will be published later this year, may reflect a greater impact of the Middle East Crisis.

(source: Reuters)