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  • Industry information
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Frequency response services

Please note: Given the challenges posed by COVID-19 we will be constantly reviewing our plans and several projects may be impacted. Click here to find out more.

We have a licence obligation to control system frequency at 50Hz plus or minus 1%. We make sure there is sufficient generation and demand held in readiness to manage all credible circumstances that might result in frequency variations. On this page you can find out more about the different types of frequency response.

The power of frequency response

We have created a series of videos to help you understand balancing services work including this playlist which will give you a background on how we utilise frequency response.  

Watch the videos
National Grid ESO - Industry information - balancing services procurement - wind and solar farm

Dynamic Containment

Dynamic Containment is the first of our new end-state services, in order to meet our most immediate need for faster-acting frequency response.

Find out more

A waterside view of well-lit boats and buildings in the early evening

​Mandatory response services

Mandatory Frequency Response is an automatic change in active power output in response to a frequency change and is a Grid Code requirement.

Find out more

A shot of food inside supermarket freezers with someone reaching to open one of the doors

Firm frequency response (FFR)

Firm Frequency Response (FFR) is the firm provision of dynamic or non-dynamic response to changes in frequency. Find out about tendering with us.

Find out more

Three National Grid workers looking at and working on a touch screen display

Phase 2 Auction Trial

Low Frequency Static (LFS) and Dynamic Low High (DLH) frequency product are the services being procured through the EPEX auction platform.

Find out more

System frequency is a continuously changing variable that is determined and controlled by the second-by-second (real time) balance between system demand and total generation. If demand is greater than generation, the frequency falls while if generation is greater than demand, the frequency rises.

There are two categories of frequency response.  

Dynamic frequency response is a continuously provided service used to manage the normal second by second changes on the system

Non-dynamic response is usually a discrete service triggered at a defined frequency deviation.

Operability Strategy Report 2021

We have updated our Operability Strategy Report which explains the challenges we face in maintaining an operable electricity system, how we are addressing them and how stakeholders can engage. We explain the learnings from the summer and show how our strategy addresses the challenges we faced.

Operability Strategy Report 2021

Frequency data

You can find real-time data, such as demand data and frequency data over the last 60 minutes, on our Realtime Extranet site.

For historic frequency data, please visit the page Historic Frequency Data.

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