Smart Energy Insights
Energy Insights
Thomas McGlynn • 10 August 2026

Weekly Energy Market Report: 3rd - 7th August 2026

SMART ENERGY
Weekly Energy Briefing · UK
Week of 3 Aug – 7 Aug 2026
Latest settlement: 6 August 2026
Weekly review · Week 32 · 3 Aug – 7 Aug 2026

The week in review: gas eased 5.9%, power eased 4.9%

A day-by-day recap of how UK gas and electricity moved across the trading week of 3 Aug – 7 Aug 2026, and where that leaves businesses approaching renewal.

This week vs last Both eased on the week
Bigger picture Still high over the six months held
Key risk European summer heatwave persists
The week in review

How the week actually moved

Not one day's snapshot — the whole week, day by day. Each line traces the front-month close from Monday to Friday, so you see the shape of the week, not just where it ended.

Week of 3 Aug – 7 Aug 2026
Natural gas
The week in 5 days · p/therm
↓ 5.86%
vs last week
144.28 136.91 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
eased early, rose into Friday · -5.1% Mon→Fri
Week avg 137.41 Week low 128.04 Week high 144.28
low 71.13 Fri close · today ● 156.64 high
Electricity
The week in 5 days · £/MWh
↓ 4.89%
vs last week
120.30 113.61 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
eased early, rose into Friday · -5.6% Mon→Fri
Week avg 115.97 Week low 110.33 Week high 120.30
low 69.89 Fri close · today ● 126.48 high
What matters

One week rarely changes a renewal decision

The shape: a week that fell then bounced tells you more than the net number.
Wider view: the 6-month charts below show whether this week is a blip or a trend.
For buyers: a good week doesn't reset your deadline — your contract end date still drives urgency.
Biggest move of the week Sep-26 electricity ↓ 5.28% — the largest week-on-week swing across every contract we track.
6-month direction

Was this week a blip or a trend?

The week-on-week 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 (Sep-26) Next winter (Win-26) 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 (Sep-26) Next winter (Win-26) 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 easing. 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 September–November 2026
Sep 2026 Oct 2026 Nov 2026
Get live quotes now

Gas is down 3.4–3.9% this week and up 9.4–20.4% over 30 days; electricity down 1.4–4.1% this week, up 6.5–14.2% over 30 days.

Evidence confidence Medium
Gas Elevated
Easing
This week Down 3.4–3.9% 30 days Up 9.4–20.4%
low 68.41 Win-26 · today ● 153.53 high

Evidence: Win-26, Sum-27, Nov-26, Q4-26, Q1-27, Win-27

Electricity Elevated to Near the top
Easing
This week Down 1.4–4.1% 30 days Up 6.5–14.2%
low 71.62 Win-26 · today ● 128.25 high

Evidence: Win-26, Sum-27, Nov-26, Q4-26, Q1-27, Win-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 December 2026–February 2027
Dec 2026 Jan 2027 Feb 2027
Review and compare

Gas is down 3.4–3.7% this week and up 9.4–17.8% over 30 days; electricity down 1.4–3.5% this week, up 6.5–13.6% over 30 days.

Evidence confidence Medium

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

Gas Elevated to Near the top
Easing
This week Down 3.4–3.7% 30 days Up 9.4–17.8%
low 62.66 Cal-27 · today ● 116.78 high

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

Electricity Near the top
Easing
This week Down 1.4–3.5% 30 days Up 6.5–13.6%
low 65.12 Cal-27 · today ● 93.45 high

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

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 March–May 2027
Mar 2027 Apr 2027 May 2027
Prepare and monitor

Gas is down 0.9–3.8% this week and up 7.8–11.7% over 30 days; electricity down 0.6–3% this week, up 5.7–7.2% over 30 days.

Evidence confidence Medium
Gas Elevated
Easing
This week Down 0.9–3.8% 30 days Up 7.8–11.7%
low 57.84 Sum-27 · today ● 107.16 high

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

Electricity Elevated to Near the top
Easing
This week Down 0.6–3% 30 days Up 5.7–7.2%
low 59.74 Sum-27 · today ● 88.93 high

Evidence: Sum-27, Win-27, Q2-27, Cal-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 June–August 2027
Jun 2027 Jul 2027 Aug 2027
Plan ahead and watch

Gas is down 0.9–3.6% this week and up 7.8–11.7% over 30 days; electricity down 0.6–2.9% this week, up 5.7–7.2% over 30 days.

Evidence confidence Medium
Gas Elevated
Easing
This week Down 0.9–3.6% 30 days Up 7.8–11.7%
low 65.81 Win-27 · today ● 105.37 high

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

Electricity Near the top
Easing
This week Down 0.6–2.9% 30 days Up 5.7–7.2%
low 74.51 Win-27 · today ● 89.00 high

Evidence: Sum-27, Win-27, 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.

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
Market in numbers

The wholesale forward curve

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

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

Gas

p/therm
Contract Price Day Week 30d
Sep-26 month 136.91 ↓ 0.17% ↓ 3.90% ↑ 21.95%
Oct-26 month 136.92 ↓ 0.42% ↓ 4.14% ↑ 21.08%
Nov-26 month 140.53 ↓ 0.86% ↓ 3.71%
Q4-26 quarter 139.67 ↓ 0.94% ↓ 3.93% ↑ 20.42%
Q1-27 quarter 133.72 ↑ 5.73% ↓ 3.68% ↑ 17.80%
Q2-27 quarter 93.55 ↑ 4.22% ↓ 3.79% ↑ 11.58%
Win-26 season 136.73 ↓ 1.70% ↓ 3.81% ↑ 19.14%
Sum-27 season 90.59 ↑ 4.43% ↓ 3.43% ↑ 11.70%
Win-27 season 89.54 ↓ 0.51% ↓ 3.64% ↑ 9.41%
Sum-28 season 67.41 ↑ 3.98% ↓ 0.89% ↑ 7.84%
Cal-27 calendar 101.01 ↑ 4.60% ↓ 3.58% ↑ 13.28%
Cal-28 calendar 74.38 ↑ 3.57% ↓ 1.75% ↑ 7.52%
Cal-29 calendar 66.80 ↑ 2.67% ↓ 0.70% ↑ 7.14%

Electricity

£/MWh
Contract Price Day Week 30d
Sep-26 month 113.61 ↑ 2.97% ↓ 5.28% ↑ 15.18%
Oct-26 month 111.91 ↑ 5.51% ↓ 3.99% ↑ 15.06%
Nov-26 month 122.99 ↑ 4.92% ↓ 3.02%
Q4-26 quarter 118.43 ↑ 4.86% ↓ 4.05% ↑ 14.25%
Q1-27 quarter 114.71 ↑ 2.60% ↓ 3.47% ↑ 13.64%
Q2-27 quarter 82.92 ↑ 2.84% ↓ 2.98% ↑ 6.75%
Win-26 season 116.59 ↑ 3.75% ↓ 3.76% ↑ 13.95%
Sum-27 season 80.95 ↑ 2.84% ↓ 2.90% ↑ 6.50%
Win-27 season 83.92 ↑ 3.93% ↓ 1.37% ↑ 7.21%
Cal-27 calendar 89.44 ↑ 3.04% ↓ 2.73% ↑ 8.83%
Cal-28 calendar 71.56 ↑ 2.95% ↓ 0.60% ↑ 5.72%
Cal-29 calendar 67.26 ↑ 2.61% → 0.03% ↑ 3.32%
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

Middle east tensions ease

Reports of US-Iran diplomatic progress and a proposed Oman shipping agreement took the risk premium out of energy markets this week. Brent crude fell sharply early in the week before recovering slightly, and both gas and power followed the sentiment shift lower.

Risks that could push prices higher

European summer heatwave persists

Temperatures across France, Germany and the Netherlands have climbed 7–10 degrees above seasonal normal, driving strong cooling demand and sustained gas burn for power generation. This is expected to intensify into next week, keeping demand elevated.

Nuclear outages constrain supply

French reactors are being shut or curtailed by summer heat, and record-low water levels on the Rhine and Danube are restricting cooling for nuclear plants across Eastern Europe. This forces greater reliance on gas-fired generation at a time when storage is already tight.

European storage at critical lows

Gas reserves stand at 58% full—the worst seasonal level in nearly two decades. Germany is at 47% and the Netherlands at 38%, well behind the pace needed for winter. Weak summer injections are compounding the shortfall.

Uk wind output variable

Wind generation is running slightly below seasonal normal this week but is forecast to strengthen mid-week before easing again. Solar output has been offsetting some of the shortfall during peak hours.

The honest read

Wholesale prices are lower than the recent peak. That does not make today the bottom.

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

If the heatwave fades faster than forecast or wind generation strengthens across Europe, gas demand for power could ease, allowing storage to inject more aggressively and softening prices further.

If prices rise again

Low storage leaves little cushion

If the Middle East agreement breaks down or Iran's Supreme Leader rejects the shipping deal, geopolitical risk could snap back into the market, pushing gas and power higher in a matter of days.

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

Check a live quote → Or call 0151 459 3388 · Independent broker since 2014
Source: SEFE Energy daily reports across the week of 3 Aug – 7 Aug 2026. Week figures are the average of each day's front-month close; the "vs last week" move compares this week's average with the previous week's. Analysis, positions and confidence are produced independently by The Smart Energy Company.
History basis: 146 distinct business-day reports from 5 January 2026 to 7 August 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.