Updated
Power crossing the border
Great Britain is linked to its neighbours by subsea cables. Power flows in whichever direction is cheaper at the time, so the same cable can import one hour and export the next.
In the half hour from 18:30 GMT on 7 November 2026, Great Britain was a net importer of electricity by 1,454 MW across 10 interconnectors, with 2,806 MW flowing in and 1,352 MW flowing out.
Net imports
1,454MW
GB is drawing power from its neighbours
Flowing in
2,806MW
5 of 10 links importing
Flowing out
1,352MW
4 of 10 links exporting
Link capacity
10,300MW
Combined across 10 links
Flow on each link
Bars to the right are power arriving in GB; bars to the left are power leaving. Measured over the half hour from 18:30.
View as table
| Link | Connects to | Direction | Flow (MW) | Capacity (MW) | In use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Sea Link | Norway | Importing | 1,400 | 1,400 | 100% |
| East-West | Ireland | Exporting | 530 | 500 | 106% |
| Greenlink | Ireland | Exporting | 514 | 500 | 103% |
| Viking Link | Denmark | Importing | 512 | 1,400 | 37% |
| IFA-2 | France | Importing | 464 | 1,000 | 46% |
| Moyle | Northern Ireland | Exporting | 250 | 500 | 50% |
| ElecLink | France | Importing | 224 | 1,000 | 22% |
| IFA | France | Importing | 206 | 2,000 | 10% |
| Nemo Link | Belgium | Exporting | 58 | 1,000 | 6% |
| BritNed | Netherlands | Idle | 0 | 1,000 | 0% |
Net position over the last 24 hours
All links combined. Above the line GB is a net importer; below it, a net exporter.
View as table
| Time | Net flow (MW) | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 19:00 | 2,538 | Importing |
| 19:30 | 2,522 | Importing |
| 20:00 | 1,710 | Importing |
| 20:30 | 1,652 | Importing |
| 21:00 | 1,042 | Importing |
| 21:30 | 974 | Importing |
| 22:00 | -166 | Exporting |
| 22:30 | -272 | Exporting |
| 23:00 | -1,930 | Exporting |
| 23:30 | -1,976 | Exporting |
| 00:00 | -518 | Exporting |
| 00:30 | -468 | Exporting |
| 01:00 | -468 | Exporting |
| 01:30 | -516 | Exporting |
| 02:00 | -1,956 | Exporting |
| 02:30 | -2,026 | Exporting |
| 03:00 | -2,068 | Exporting |
| 03:30 | -2,072 | Exporting |
| 04:00 | -2,250 | Exporting |
| 04:30 | -2,314 | Exporting |
| 05:00 | -3,910 | Exporting |
| 05:30 | -4,002 | Exporting |
| 06:00 | -4,844 | Exporting |
| 06:30 | -4,802 | Exporting |
| 07:00 | -3,370 | Exporting |
| 07:30 | -3,196 | Exporting |
| 08:00 | -868 | Exporting |
| 08:30 | -712 | Exporting |
| 09:00 | 1,156 | Importing |
| 09:30 | 1,268 | Importing |
| 10:00 | 1,744 | Importing |
| 10:30 | 1,752 | Importing |
| 11:00 | 1,338 | Importing |
| 11:30 | 1,356 | Importing |
| 12:00 | 2,098 | Importing |
| 12:30 | 2,102 | Importing |
| 13:00 | 1,402 | Importing |
| 13:30 | 1,380 | Importing |
| 14:00 | 1,234 | Importing |
| 14:30 | 1,232 | Importing |
| 15:00 | 1,300 | Importing |
| 15:30 | 1,306 | Importing |
| 16:00 | 1,394 | Importing |
| 16:30 | 1,410 | Importing |
| 17:00 | 1,446 | Importing |
| 17:30 | 1,454 | Importing |
| 18:00 | 1,474 | Importing |
| 18:30 | 1,454 | Importing |
What this means
Interconnectors are high-voltage cables, most of them running under the sea, joining Britain's grid to those of its neighbours. There are 10 of them, reaching France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark and both parts of Ireland.
Power flows towards wherever it is worth more at that moment. When Britain is windy and prices are low, the cables export; when it is still and prices are high, they import. That is why the direction on a single link can reverse within a day, and why the national net position swings so much.
Imports matter for emissions too: they carry the carbon intensity of the country they came from, which is why French nuclear or Norwegian hydro arriving here lowers Britain's own figure. Links occasionally run marginally above their nameplate rating, so “in use” can read slightly over 100%.
Common questions
Does Britain import electricity?
Yes, and it exports too. The cables run both ways, and the direction can flip within a day.
Which countries is Britain connected to?
France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway and Denmark, plus Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Why would Britain export power and import it on the same day?
Power goes wherever it's worth more. If it's windy here and prices are low, it tends to head abroad. When the wind drops and prices climb, it tends to come back the other way.