UK wind power generation reaches new record

9 December 2025

Great Britain set a new wind power generation record on 5 December, with turbines producing 23,825 megawatts (MW) of electricity at 5:30pm, enough to supply over 23 million homes. That’s according to according to the National Energy System Operator (NESO).

The previous record of 22,711MW had been set less than a month earlier, on 11 November, when wind provided 47.4% of the country’s electricity.

The milestone coincides with the 25th anniversary of the UK’s first offshore wind farm, Blyth Offshore Wind Farm off the coast of Northumberland. The project, which began generating power in 2000, had two turbines producing 4MW and supplied electricity to around 3,000 homes. Since then, offshore wind has grown to become the UK’s largest source of clean electricity, producing 17% of total electricity in 2024 and over a third of all renewable power.

The UK now has 2,878 offshore wind turbines, including 10 floating and 2,868 fixed units, with a combined capacity of 16.1 gigawatts (GW). The sector supports around 40,000 jobs and contributes significantly to the economy, with forecasts suggesting £18.2 billion in value over the next decade. Additional capacity is under development, with more than 7.5GW under construction and 22GW consented through to 2033.

The growth of offshore wind has also helped cut the UK’s spending on imported fuels, with analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) estimating savings of at least £30 billion in 2024 real prices.

At the time of the latest record, gas accounted for 12.5% of electricity generation, followed by embedded wind at 12.1%, interconnector imports at 11.3%, nuclear at 8%, biomass at 8%, hydro at 1.4%, and storage at 1.1%. Officials said the record demonstrates the grid can operate securely with high levels of domestic renewable generation.

Kayte O’Neill, chief operating officer of the National Energy System Operator:

“It’s hard to believe how far Britain has come on its clean power journey over the past quarter of a century, with renewables now producing around 60% of our electricity – up from just 3% in the year 2000. We’re now a global leader in offshore wind power, home to five of the largest wind farms in the world. Just last month Britain broke another maximum wind record, generating 22,711MW – enough energy to power over 22 million homes across the country. It really shows what’s possible when we back clean home-grown energy as part of our generation mix.”