Skip to main navigation

Our response to coronavirus

Find out how we're working to keep the lights on in Great Britain throughout COVID-19.
Read more
Home
ESO
  • ESO
  • Group PLC
  • NG in the UK
  • NG in the US
  • About us
  • Careers
  • Investors
  • Data Portal
  • News
  • Contact us
  • Back
  • Who we are
    • Back
    • Home
    • Who we are
    • What we do
    • Our people
    • How we're organised
    • Meet the board
  • Electricity explained
    • Back
    • Home
    • Electricity explained
    • Monthly Insights
    • Zero carbon explained
    • Carbon intensity explained
    • Electric cars explained
    • Power cuts explained
  • Future of energy
    • Back
    • Home
    • Future of energy
    • Future Energy Scenarios (FES)
    • Innovation
      • Back
      • Future of energy
      • Innovation
      • Strategy
      • News and events
      • Get involved
    • Projects
      • Back
      • Future of energy
      • Projects
      • Early Competition Plan
      • Offshore Coordination Project
      • Distributed ReStart
  • Industry information
    • Back
    • Home
    • Industry information
    • Connections
      • Back
      • Industry information
      • Connections
      • Our role in connections
      • The connections offer process
      • Your connections journey
      • Reports and registers
      • Use of System (UoS) and Virtual Lead Party (VLP)
      • Connections help and support
    • Balancing Services
      • Back
      • Industry information
      • Balancing Services
      • Frequency response services
      • Reserve services
      • System security services
      • Reactive power services
      • Trading
      • Settlements
      • Balancing Mechanism Wider Access
      • Get involved
    • Charging
      • Back
      • Industry information
      • Charging
      • Balancing Services Use of System (BSUoS) charges
      • Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) charges
      • Assistance for Areas with High Electricity Distribution Costs (AAHEDC)
      • Connection charges
      • Charging guidance
      • Charging policy developments
      • Charging statements
      • Submit a charging query
    • Codes Homepage
      • Back
      • Industry information
      • Codes Homepage
      • Connection and Use of System Code (CUSC)
      • Grid Code (GC)
      • System Operator Transmission Owner Code
      • Security and Quality of Supply Standard (SQSS)
      • Balancing Settlement Code (BSC)
      • European Network Codes (ENC)
      • Codes calendar
      • Code changes: Beginner's Guide
      • About the Codes Team
    • Industry Data and Reports
      • Back
      • Industry information
      • Industry Data and Reports
      • System Incidents Report
      • Balancing services performance monitoring report
      • Data finder and explorer
      • Forecast volumes and costs
      • GB Electricity System Operator Daily Reports
      • System balancing reports
      • Monthly transmission loss data (4l)
      • System constraints
      • Voltage costs
    • Keeping the lights on throughout coronavirus
    • Accelerated Loss of Mains applications
    • Our consultation responses
  • Our strategy
    • Back
    • Home
    • Our strategy
    • Forward Plan
      • Back
      • Our strategy
      • Forward Plan
      • How we're performing
    • Annual report and accounts
      • Back
      • Our strategy
      • Annual report and accounts
      • Annual report 2019/20
    • RIIO
      • Back
      • Our strategy
      • RIIO
      • RIIO-2 final business plan
      • Future planning 2021 onwards
      • Have your say on our future plan
      • RIIO-2 Stakeholder Group
  • Research & publications
    • Back
    • Home
    • Research & publications
    • Whole electricity system
    • Summer Outlook
    • Winter Outlook
    • ​Electricity Ten Year Statement (ETYS)
    • Network Options Assessment (NOA)
      • Back
      • Research & publications
      • Network Options Assessment (NOA)
      • Network Development Roadmap
    • System Operability Framework (SOF)
    • Future of balancing services
    • Transmission performance reports
    • Regional Development Programmes

Breadcrumb

  • Industry information
  • Balancing Services

Reserve 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.

At certain times of the day, we need access to sources of extra power in the form of either increased generation or demand reduction. This enables us to manage a greater than forecast electricity demand on Britain's transmission system. These additional power sources available to us are called 'reserve services'.

Frequency reserve and Future markets

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 reservice services.  

Watch the videos

Different sources need different timescales in order to be ready to deliver the required service. In this section, we list reserve services according to their timescales (shortest timescales first):

A twilight overview of a waterside bridge in Newcastle with lights reflecting on the water

Fast reserve

Fast reserve provides rapid and reliable delivery of active power through increasing output from generation or reducing consumption from demand sources.

Find out more

Water rushing through a bridge structure with hills in a blue sky in the background

Short-term operating reserve (STOR)

Short term operating reserve (STOR) is a service that provides additional active power from generation or demand reduction.

Find out more

A yellow London tram in transit with buildings and another tram out of focus in the background

Demand Turn Up

Developed to allow demand side providers to increase demand as an economic solution to managing excess renewable generation when demand is low.

Find out more

A nighttime view of Manchester city with water in the foreground

Super SEL

The ability for synchronous generation to reduce their minimum generation level (SEL) in times of low demand on the system.

Find out more

A row of exposed lightbulbs with an orange wall in the background

BM start up

On-the-day access to additional generation Balancing Mechanism units (BMUs) that would not otherwise have run.

Find out more

Connecting Europe map on a white wall with someone walking in front of it

Replacement Reserve (RR)

Provision of an increase and decrease of active power between participating TSOs.

Find out more

National Grid ESO
© National Grid 2021

Connect with us

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Youtube
  • Connect with us
    • Media centre
    • Work for us
  • About us
    • Compliance Statements
  • Privacy policy
    • Cookie policy
    • Terms and conditions
    • Security
    • Modern Slavery Statement
© National Grid 2021
Top