Updated
Is the grid in balance?
Electricity cannot be stored on the network, so generation has to match demand every second of the day. Frequency is the evidence that it does - and temperature is the biggest reason demand moves in the first place.
At 19:25 GMT on 7 November 2026, Great Britain's grid frequency was 50.056 Hz, 0.056 Hz above the 50 Hz target and within the normal range. It spent 100.0% of the last hour within ±0.2 Hz of target.
System frequency · target 50 Hz
50.056Hz
Balanced
+0.056 Hz from target. Slightly above 50 Hz, which means more generation than demand right now.
Within normal range
100.0%
Of the last hour, inside ±0.2 Hz
Temperature
8.4°C
−1.7°C vs the seasonal average
7 November
Normal for the date
7.4–12.4°C
Today sits inside the usual range
Frequency over the last hour
Measured every fifteen seconds and plotted about once a minute. The grid is held as close to 50 Hz as possible; ±0.2 Hz is routine.
View as table
| Time | Frequency (Hz) | From target |
|---|---|---|
| 18:27 | 49.934 | −0.066 |
| 18:28 | 49.954 | −0.046 |
| 18:29 | 49.956 | −0.044 |
| 18:30 | 49.961 | −0.039 |
| 18:31 | 49.962 | −0.038 |
| 18:32 | 49.960 | −0.040 |
| 18:33 | 49.964 | −0.036 |
| 18:34 | 49.949 | −0.051 |
| 18:35 | 49.978 | −0.022 |
| 18:36 | 49.950 | −0.050 |
| 18:37 | 49.946 | −0.054 |
| 18:38 | 49.959 | −0.041 |
| 18:39 | 49.960 | −0.040 |
| 18:40 | 49.965 | −0.035 |
| 18:41 | 49.948 | −0.052 |
| 18:42 | 49.984 | −0.016 |
| 18:43 | 49.958 | −0.042 |
| 18:44 | 49.976 | −0.024 |
| 18:45 | 50.028 | +0.028 |
| 18:46 | 49.986 | −0.014 |
| 18:47 | 50.026 | +0.026 |
| 18:48 | 50.039 | +0.039 |
| 18:49 | 50.037 | +0.037 |
| 18:50 | 50.037 | +0.037 |
| 18:51 | 50.052 | +0.052 |
| 18:52 | 50.038 | +0.038 |
| 18:53 | 50.053 | +0.053 |
| 18:54 | 50.070 | +0.070 |
| 18:55 | 50.101 | +0.101 |
| 18:56 | 50.069 | +0.069 |
| 18:57 | 50.062 | +0.062 |
| 18:58 | 50.051 | +0.051 |
| 18:59 | 50.067 | +0.067 |
| 19:00 | 50.121 | +0.121 |
| 19:01 | 50.096 | +0.096 |
| 19:02 | 50.090 | +0.090 |
| 19:03 | 50.068 | +0.068 |
| 19:04 | 50.060 | +0.060 |
| 19:05 | 50.088 | +0.088 |
| 19:06 | 50.085 | +0.085 |
| 19:07 | 50.064 | +0.064 |
| 19:08 | 50.108 | +0.108 |
| 19:09 | 50.060 | +0.060 |
| 19:10 | 50.090 | +0.090 |
| 19:11 | 50.115 | +0.115 |
| 19:12 | 50.121 | +0.121 |
| 19:13 | 50.100 | +0.100 |
| 19:14 | 50.114 | +0.114 |
| 19:15 | 50.125 | +0.125 |
| 19:16 | 50.120 | +0.120 |
| 19:17 | 50.040 | +0.040 |
| 19:18 | 50.018 | +0.018 |
| 19:19 | 50.076 | +0.076 |
| 19:20 | 50.082 | +0.082 |
| 19:21 | 50.084 | +0.084 |
| 19:22 | 50.032 | +0.032 |
| 19:23 | 50.083 | +0.083 |
| 19:24 | 50.035 | +0.035 |
| 19:25 | 50.047 | +0.047 |
| 19:25 | 50.056 | +0.056 |
What this means
Every generator on the network spins in step with every other, and that shared rhythm is the system frequency. When demand exceeds generation the machines are dragged fractionally slower and the frequency falls; when there is surplus generation it rises. It is the most direct measure of whether the grid is in balance.
Great Britain runs at 50 Hz. Staying within ±0.2 Hz is routine second-to-second variation as demand shifts. The statutory limit is ±0.5 Hz, and reaching it is rare - it usually means a large generator or interconnector has tripped unexpectedly.
Temperature is shown alongside because it is the single biggest driver of electricity demand. A day well below the seasonal norm means more heating, and the demand curve follows.
Common questions
Why does the grid run at 50 Hz?
That's the standard Britain's grid and the equipment on it were built for. It also shows how the system's doing: too much demand drags the frequency down, and too much generation pushes it up.
What is a normal grid frequency?
Anywhere within about 0.2 Hz of 50 Hz is routine. The legal limits are 0.5 Hz either side, and the grid rarely gets there.
What happens if the frequency falls too far?
Reserve power kicks in within seconds. If that's not enough, automatic protection cuts off some customers to save the rest of the system. It happened on 9 August 2019: two big generators dropped off, frequency fell below 49 Hz, and more than a million customers lost power.