UK power supply becomes ‘most British’ in over 20 years

10 April 2026

The UK’s electricity supply was the “most British” it has been in more than two decades in 2025, with the share of imported energy falling to its lowest level since 2004, according to new analysis.

Figures based on government data and assessed by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit indicate that 46% of the primary energy used for electricity last year was imported. This is down from 48% in 2024 and well below a peak of 67% in 2013.

The analysis found that 53% of the energy used for electricity came from domestic sources in 2025, an increase from 51% the previous year. The reduction in imports was equivalent to the electricity demand of more than two million homes.

Growth in renewable generation was identified as the main factor behind the shift. Output from sources such as wind, solar and hydro, which do not rely on fuel imports, increased by 8% compared with 2024. Solar generation saw the largest rise, increasing by nearly 37%.

These fuel-free renewables accounted for 36.6% of electricity supply in 2025, compared with 34.1% the previous year, producing more electricity than fossil fuels for the second consecutive year.

The report suggests that without renewable generation, reliance on imported energy would have been significantly higher. It estimates that imports could have made up 73% of the energy used to supply electricity in 2025 in the absence of domestic renewable sources.

Dr Simon Cran-McGreehin of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit:

“The expansion of renewables is more than making up for the ongoing decline in North Sea gas output. Combined with electric heat pumps replacing gas boilers and EVs taking the place of petrol and diesel cars, you can see a path to UK energy powering the economy and people’s homes better protected from these global shocks. British wind and sunlight don’t run through the Strait of Hormuz.”

North Sea production has continued to fall, with analysis indicating that around 90% of recoverable oil and gas reserves have already been extracted. Gas imports declined slightly in 2025, though this was attributed to reduced demand rather than increased domestic supply.

The findings come amid continued volatility in global gas markets following recent geopolitical tensions. The analysis suggests that further increases in renewable capacity could strengthen the UK’s energy independence in the coming years.

A new record for renewable generation was also recorded on 25 March 2026, when wind power reached 23.9GW, with solar contributing an additional 10.3GW, bringing the combined total to more than 34GW.