Smart Energy Insights
Energy Insights
Thomas McGlynn • 2 November 2026

UK Monthly Energy Market Report: October 2026

SMART ENERGY
Monthly Energy Briefing · UK
Month of October 2026
Latest settlement: 29 October 2026
Monthly review · October 2026

The month in review: gas firmed 11.5%, power firmed 9.3%

A week-by-week recap of how UK gas and electricity moved across October 2026, and where that leaves businesses approaching renewal.

This month vs last Both firmer on the month
Bigger picture Still high over the six months held
Key risk Middle east shipping attacks intensify
The month in review

How the month actually moved

Not one day's snapshot — the whole month, week by week. Each point is the front-month's average for that week, so you see the shape of the month, not just where it ended.

Month of October 2026
Natural gas
The month in weeks · p/therm
↑ 11.46%
vs last month
185.97 245.19 W1 W2 W3 W4 W5
rose through the month · +31.8% across the month
Month avg 211.60 Month low 183.08 Month high 248.73
low 96.52 Month close · today ● 248.73 high
Electricity
The month in weeks · £/MWh
↑ 9.29%
vs last month
151.31 196.60 W1 W2 W3 W4 W5
rose through the month · +29.9% across the month
Month avg 169.08 Month low 149.23 Month high 198.54
low 90.16 Month close · today ● 198.54 high
What matters

One month rarely changes a renewal decision

The shape: a month that fell then bounced tells you more than the net number.
Wider view: the 6-month charts below show whether this month is part of a longer trend.
For buyers: a good month doesn't reset your deadline — your contract end date still drives urgency.
Biggest move of the month Sum-27 gas ↑ 38.37% — the largest 30-day swing across every contract we track.
Why prices moved

Forces pulling prices in both directions

A balanced view is more useful than a single prediction. These are the main influences in the latest report.

Pressure pulling prices lower

Uk jackdaw field approved for production

The UK government approved production from the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea in late October, expected to boost domestic gas output by around 6% at peak production. First gas could arrive as early as the end of October, providing modest supply relief.

Bbl interconnector reverses toward uk

The BBL pipeline completed a physical flow reversal toward Great Britain on 29 October, signalling that continental supply stress had reached the point where the Netherlands needed to import gas from the UK rather than export. This reversal provided vital import deliverability into the UK at a critical moment.

Risks that could push prices higher

Middle east shipping attacks intensify

Throughout October, attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea escalated sharply. Houthi forces seized the Bab el-Mandeb strait early in the month; by late October, at least 18 vessels had been struck by projectiles, and Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for striking tankers and warned of further action. QatarEnergy extended its force majeure on Edison's 6.4 bcm/yr contract through 30 December, removing 38 cargoes from the market.

Us-iran escalation risk peaks

Reports in late October indicated that the US urged Gulf allies to prepare for potential renewed military strikes against Iran following the midterm elections. Trump administration officials briefed military options to the president; Israeli and US militaries reportedly drew up strike plans. These developments dashed earlier optimism from regional diplomatic talks and added a sharp risk premium to energy prices.

Norwegian production outages tighten supply

Unplanned maintenance at multiple Norwegian fields (Dvalin, Heidrun, Oseberg, Åsgard, Karstø, Kollsnes, Sleipner) knocked between 37 and 50 million cubic metres per day offline at various points in October. By late month, these outages had reduced Dutch border flows to just 11 mcm/d and tightened upstream deliverability at a critical moment as heating demand was about to rise.

European storage falls to 2009 lows

EU gas storage ended October at 74.89–74.96% capacity, the lowest late-October level recorded since 2009. The UK was particularly constrained at 40–41%, Germany lagged at 61%, and injection rates slowed sharply as the month progressed. Storage is now tracking to miss even the revised 80% November target.

Early winter cold spell forecast

Weather forecasters raised the probability of a Sudden Stratospheric Warming event in mid to late November to 70%, which would be the earliest on record. This pattern would drive an unusually early and intense cold snap across Northern and Central Europe in late November and early December—precisely when heating demand peaks and supply is most constrained.

Renewable generation collapses into november

An expansive high-pressure system settled over Northwest Europe by late October, creating Dunkelflaute conditions—weak wind, low solar, and dense fog. German wind was forecast to plunge below 3 GW, UK wind below 5 GW, and Dutch wind below 3 GW through early November. This renewable shortfall arrives as heating demand is rising and gas-fired generation must fill the gap.

French nuclear unavailability widens

EDF revised French nuclear unavailability upward to an average of 15.1 GW for November—significantly above last year's 13.7 GW. Low river flows on the Meuse and Rhône have constrained cooling water and extended outages. The 1.5 GW Chooz 2 unit is not scheduled to return until after mid-November.

6-month direction

Was this month a blip or a trend?

The month-on-month number tells you the direction; these 6-month lines tell you whether it's part of a bigger move. Each tracks a rolling maturity — the near-term price, the next winter and the year ahead — so nothing breaks as contracts roll off. Hover for the value on any day.

Gas forward prices

Rolling maturities · p/therm

Near-term (Nov-26) Next winter (Win-27) Year ahead (Cal-27)

Each line is a rolling maturity — the near-term line always follows the current front month, so it never breaks as contracts roll off.

Power forward prices

Rolling maturities · £/MWh

Near-term (Nov-26) Next winter (Win-27) Year ahead (Cal-27)

Power tends to track gas; the chart shows how far the recent move has carried.

Your renewal window

Guidance grouped by how soon your contract ends

Timing urgency comes from your deadline; the market view comes from the forward contracts covering each renewal's supply period. Open your band for separate gas and electricity evidence.

Timing and value are different. Wholesale prices are currently rising. If your contract ends within three months, still get live quotes now — your decision window is shortening. Later renewals have more time to monitor the market.
1–3 months November 2026–January 2027
Nov 2026 Dec 2026 Jan 2027
Get live quotes now

Gas is up 3.7–8.3% this week and up 36–38.4% over 30 days; electricity up 2.8–8.5% this week, up 27.7–31.5% over 30 days.

Evidence confidence Medium

⚠ December leans on Cal-27 only, so it has less seasonal visibility.

Gas Near the top
Rising
This week Up 3.7–8.3% 30 days Up 36–38.4%
low 57.84 Sum-27 · today ● 181.66 high

Evidence: Dec-26, Q1-27, Sum-27, Win-27, Cal-27

Electricity Near the top
Rising
This week Up 2.8–8.5% 30 days Up 27.7–31.5%
low 59.74 Sum-27 · today ● 134.89 high

Evidence: Dec-26, Q1-27, Sum-27, Win-27, Cal-27

What this means

Your deadline creates the urgency. Use the current move to compare live supplier quotes now, but don't treat one falling day as proof the market has reached its bottom.

4–6 months February–April 2027
Feb 2027 Mar 2027 Apr 2027
Review and compare

Gas is up 3.5–7.8% this week and up 31.4–38.4% over 30 days; electricity up 2.5–7.9% this week, up 27.7–31.5% over 30 days.

Evidence confidence Medium
Gas Near the top
Rising
This week Up 3.5–7.8% 30 days Up 31.4–38.4%
low 57.84 Sum-27 · today ● 181.66 high

Evidence: Q1-27, Sum-27, Win-27, Q2-27, Q3-27, Sum-28

Electricity Near the top
Rising
This week Up 2.5–7.9% 30 days Up 27.7–31.5%
low 59.74 Sum-27 · today ● 134.89 high

Evidence: Q1-27, Sum-27, Win-27, Q2-27, Q3-27, Sum-28

What this means

Start reviewing the market and compare 12-, 24- and 36-month options. You have time for a considered decision, so weigh the certainty each term buys rather than chasing a perfect day.

7–9 months May–July 2027
May 2027 Jun 2027 Jul 2027
Prepare and monitor

Gas is up 3.5–5.5% this week and up 31.4–37.9% over 30 days; electricity up 2.5–4.5% this week, up 27.7–30.9% over 30 days.

Evidence confidence Medium
Gas Near the top
Rising
This week Up 3.5–5.5% 30 days Up 31.4–37.9%
low 65.81 Win-27 · today ● 172.12 high

Evidence: Q2-27, Q3-27, Win-27, Sum-28

Electricity Near the top
Rising
This week Up 2.5–4.5% 30 days Up 27.7–30.9%
low 74.51 Win-27 · today ● 134.46 high

Evidence: Q2-27, Q3-27, Win-27, Sum-28

What this means

Get usage and site details ready, monitor the relevant forward contracts and use indicative quotes to understand the range. No need to force a decision while visibility is adequate.

10–12 months August–October 2027
Aug 2027 Sep 2027 Oct 2027
Plan ahead and watch

Gas is up 3.5–5.5% this week and up 31.4–36.7% over 30 days; electricity up 2.5–4.5% this week, up 24–27.7% over 30 days.

Evidence confidence Medium
Gas Near the top
Rising
This week Up 3.5–5.5% 30 days Up 31.4–36.7%
low 65.81 Win-27 · today ● 172.12 high

Evidence: Q3-27, Win-27, Sum-28, Win-28

Electricity Near the top
Rising
This week Up 2.5–4.5% 30 days Up 24–27.7%
low 74.51 Win-27 · today ● 134.46 high

Evidence: Q3-27, Win-27, Sum-28, Cal-28

What this means

Plan your procurement timetable and stay informed. Far-dated products can hide seasonal detail, so a firm buy-or-wait instruction would be false precision at this stage.

The honest read

Gas and power are not moving together. That makes any single read of the market less reliable.

And wholesale is only part of a quote — non-energy charges, credit, volume and shape all move the final rate. The practical decision is how much further movement your business can tolerate before its contract deadline.

If prices ease further

Wind, milder weather and diplomacy help

A de-escalation in Middle East tensions, restoration of QatarEnergy flows, and recovery of Norwegian production could ease supply pressure and allow prices to drift lower, especially if the forecast cold snap fails to materialise or proves milder than expected.

If prices rise again

Low storage leaves little cushion

An early, severe cold snap in late November (driven by the forecast Sudden Stratospheric Warming event) combined with continued geopolitical disruption to LNG flows could push gas and power prices significantly higher, particularly if Norwegian outages persist or new supply disruptions emerge.

Fixing buys budget certainty. It does not prove that a business has predicted the market correctly.

Market in numbers

The wholesale forward curve

Where the month ended across every contract — kept for readers who want the detail.

Open gas and electricity forward tables
Monthly, quarterly, seasonal and annual contracts · month-ending close
View data ⌄

Gas

p/therm
Contract Price Day Week 30d
Nov-26 month 241.65 ↓ 2.85% ↑ 8.86% ↑ 36.89%
Dec-26 month 243.20 ↓ 2.84% ↑ 8.34% ↑ 36.31%
Jan-27 month 244.44 ↓ 2.77% ↑ 8.23% —
Q1-27 quarter 238.45 ↓ 2.85% ↑ 7.84% ↑ 36.05%
Q2-27 quarter 183.94 ↓ 2.71% ↑ 3.85% ↑ 37.90%
Q3-27 quarter 170.53 ↓ 2.18% ↑ 3.46% —
Sum-27 season 177.20 ↓ 2.46% ↑ 3.66% ↑ 38.37%
Win-27 season 169.53 ↓ 1.50% ↑ 4.15% ↑ 36.71%
Sum-28 season 107.42 ↓ 1.06% ↑ 5.49% ↑ 31.40%
Win-28 season 110.92 ↓ 0.59% ↑ 4.43% —
Cal-27 calendar 190.94 ↓ 2.38% ↑ 5.02% ↑ 37.33%
Cal-28 calendar 123.05 ↓ 1.08% ↑ 4.89% ↑ 31.77%
Cal-29 calendar 91.42 ↑ 0.35% ↑ 4.55% ↑ 19.85%

Electricity

£/MWh
Contract Price Day Week 30d
Nov-26 month 194.66 ↓ 1.95% ↑ 11.65% ↑ 33.47%
Dec-26 month 187.17 ↓ 1.98% ↑ 8.49% ↑ 30.34%
Jan-27 month 202.10 ↓ 1.92% ↑ 7.73% —
Q1-27 quarter 191.90 ↓ 2.07% ↑ 7.86% ↑ 31.52%
Q2-27 quarter 138.25 ↓ 1.58% ↑ 3.03% ↑ 30.92%
Q3-27 quarter 128.78 ↓ 0.46% ↑ 2.46% —
Sum-27 season 133.49 ↓ 1.04% ↑ 2.76% ↑ 29.98%
Win-27 season 133.94 ↓ 0.39% ↑ 3.29% ↑ 27.71%
Sum-28 season 86.65 ↓ 0.73% ↑ 4.46% —
Cal-27 calendar 147.19 ↓ 1.21% ↑ 4.12% ↑ 28.66%
Cal-28 calendar 100.79 ↓ 0.69% ↑ 4.27% ↑ 23.97%
Cal-29 calendar 81.05 ↓ 0.37% ↑ 3.91% ↑ 12.80%
Fixed-term choices

Contract length is a risk decision, not a forecast

No term protects against every outcome. Weigh the certainty the business wants against how soon it is willing to return to the market.

12

months

More flexibility if markets fall, but the business returns to the market sooner.

  • Shorter budget certainty
  • Earlier exposure to the next renewal
  • Useful where flexibility matters most
24

months

A middle ground between price certainty and revisiting the market.

  • Two-year budgeting
  • Less frequent procurement
  • Still allows a medium-term review
36

months

Greater certainty, but a longer commitment if markets later fall.

  • Longest budget protection
  • Reduced exposure to near-term shocks
  • Higher opportunity cost if prices drop

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Source: SEFE Energy daily reports across October 2026. Month figures are the average of each day's front-month close; the "vs last month" move compares this month's average with the previous month's. Analysis, positions and confidence are produced independently by The Smart Energy Company.
History basis: 205 distinct business-day reports from 5 January 2026 to 30 October 2026.
Important: General market information, not a forecast or a recommendation to enter a particular contract. Actual supplier pricing depends on usage profile, network costs, levies, losses, credit and margin.