Britain curbs power exports to Europe to preserve domestic supplies

Britain’s grid operator is pulling the plug on power exports to keep the lights on at home. The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has imposed rolling restrictions on electricity exports to continental Europe throughout 2026, prioritizing domestic supply security during a year marked by surging demand and climate-driven grid stress. The most dramatic intervention came on June 23, when emergency curtailments redirected roughly 2 gigawatts of power away from exports to the Netherlands and France. That’s enough electricity to power about two million homes, rerouted in real time to prevent a dangerous drop in grid frequency. A cap that keeps tightening The restrictions didn’t start with a single crisis. NESO has been steadily dialing back cross-border flows for months. In May, the operator capped intra-day power trading with continental Europe at 1,500 megawatts per hour, a limit set to remain in place through the end of the year. Day-ahead capacity cuts on key interconnectors have also become a recurring feature, particularly on four major links connecting Britain to France, Belgium, Norway, and Denmark. As of late 2024, the UK operated nine interconnectors with a combined capacit...