UK electricity generation: combined cycle gas turbine
UK electricity generation: combined cycle gas turbine stood at 4,595.02 MW on Oct 18, 2026, according to Elexon (BMRS). It is one of the indicators in the Electricity system, daily table (Value · Daily), with a complete series running from Aug 1, 2025 to Oct 18, 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Electricity system, daily table
| Indicator | 18-10-2026 | 17-10-2026 | 16-10-2026 | 15-10-2026 | 14-10-2026 | 13-10-2026 | 12-10-2026 | 11-10-2026 | 10-10-2026 | 09-10-2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generation by fuel | |||||||||||
| Combined cycle gas turbine | 4,595.02 | 2,272.18 | 6,858.94 | 6,880.69 | 6,139.75 | 5,371.67 | 8,182 | 5,977 | 3,437 | 2,743.94 | |
| Nuclear | 4,865.44 | 4,829.59 | 4,633.65 | 4,385.65 | 4,265.92 | 4,098.48 | 3,973.67 | 4,014.46 | 4,008.54 | 4,003 |
Understanding UK electricity generation: combined cycle gas turbine
Combined cycle gas turbine generation tracks the total electrical power produced across Great Britain by large-scale power stations burning natural gas in combined cycle configurations. This series measures metered output fed directly into the transmission network, separating gas-fired electricity from nuclear, wind, coal, and imported energy sources. The geographic scope covers Great Britain alone and excludes all generation facilities located in Northern Ireland.
Evaluating this series necessitates understanding its role as a flexible balancing fuel that responds rapidly to shifts in demand and intermittent renewable output. Seasonal variations are pronounced, with output typically rising during colder months when heating demand increases and solar or wind availability fluctuates. Analysts comparing gas generation with other fuel types should account for thermal efficiency losses and fuel switching dynamics when examining overall power sector carbon intensity.
Frequently asked questions
- What output is captured in combined cycle gas turbine generation?
- It measures electrical power supplied to the Great Britain transmission grid by large natural gas power stations.
- How does this differ from open cycle gas turbine output?
- Combined cycle plants utilise waste heat to drive secondary steam turbines for higher efficiency, whereas open cycle units are simpler peaking plants.
- Why do these figures fluctuate significantly across seasons?
- Gas plants operate flexibly to compensate for variations in wind output and to meet elevated heating demand during colder months.