Smart Energy Insights
Energy Insights
Thomas McGlynn • 17 August 2026

Weekly Energy Market Report: 10th - 14th August 2026

SMART ENERGY
Weekly Energy Briefing · UK
Week of 10 Aug – 14 Aug 2026
Latest settlement: 13 August 2026
Weekly review · Week 33 · 10 Aug – 14 Aug 2026

The week in review: gas firmed 6.0%, power firmed 3.5%

A day-by-day recap of how UK gas and electricity moved across the trading week of 10 Aug – 14 Aug 2026, and where that leaves businesses approaching renewal.

This week vs last Both firmer on the week
Bigger picture Still high over the six months held
Key risk Strait of hormuz deadline looms
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 10 Aug – 14 Aug 2026
Natural gas
The week in 5 days · p/therm
↑ 6.00%
vs last week
135.95 148.48 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
rose early, eased into Friday · +9.2% Mon→Fri
Week avg 145.66 Week low 135.95 Week high 149.91
low 71.13 Fri close · today ● 156.64 high
Electricity
The week in 5 days · £/MWh
↑ 3.46%
vs last week
115.14 122.48 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
rose early, held into Friday · +6.4% Mon→Fri
Week avg 119.98 Week low 115.14 Week high 122.68
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 Q1-27 gas ↑ 9.41% — 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 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 September–November 2026
Sep 2026 Oct 2026 Nov 2026
Get live quotes now

Gas is up 4.7–9.4% this week and up 2.8–15.3% over 30 days; electricity up 1.8–7.2% this week, up 0.9–10.7% over 30 days.

Evidence confidence Medium
Gas Near the top
Rising
This week Up 4.7–9.4% 30 days Up 2.8–15.3%
low 68.41 Win-26 · today ● 153.53 high

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

Electricity Near the top
Rising
This week Up 1.8–7.2% 30 days Up 0.9–10.7%
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 up 4.7–9.4% this week and up 2.8–14% over 30 days; electricity up 1.8–7.2% this week, up 0.9–10.7% 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 4.7–9.4% 30 days Up 2.8–14%
low 62.66 Cal-27 · today ● 116.78 high

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

Electricity Near the top
Rising
This week Up 1.8–7.2% 30 days Up 0.9–10.7%
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 up 2.7–5.9% this week and up 2.8–7% over 30 days; electricity up 1.4–2.3% this week, up 0.8–3.6% over 30 days.

Evidence confidence Medium
Gas Near the top
Rising
This week Up 2.7–5.9% 30 days Up 2.8–7%
low 57.84 Sum-27 · today ● 107.16 high

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

Electricity Near the top
Rising
This week Up 1.4–2.3% 30 days Up 0.8–3.6%
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 up 2.7–5.3% this week and up 2.8–7% over 30 days; electricity up 1.4–2.3% this week, up 0.9–3.6% over 30 days.

Evidence confidence Medium
Gas Near the top
Rising
This week Up 2.7–5.3% 30 days Up 2.8–7%
low 65.81 Win-27 · today ● 105.37 high

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

Electricity Near the top
Rising
This week Up 1.4–2.3% 30 days Up 0.9–3.6%
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 148.48 ↓ 1.80% ↑ 8.45% ↑ 15.30%
Oct-26 month 149.28 ↓ 1.73% ↑ 9.03% ↑ 15.77%
Nov-26 month 152.38 ↓ 1.65% ↑ 8.43%
Q4-26 quarter 151.94 ↓ 1.94% ↑ 8.78% ↑ 15.29%
Q1-27 quarter 146.30 ↓ 1.81% ↑ 9.41% ↑ 14.01%
Q2-27 quarter 99.06 ↑ 0.68% ↑ 5.90% ↑ 4.38%
Win-26 season 149.15 ↓ 1.90% ↑ 9.08% ↑ 14.66%
Sum-27 season 95.42 ↓ 1.29% ↑ 5.33% ↑ 3.81%
Win-27 season 93.79 ↓ 0.75% ↑ 4.74% ↑ 2.75%
Sum-28 season 69.25 ↓ 0.18% ↑ 2.72% ↑ 7.03%
Cal-27 calendar 107.68 ↑ 0.08% ↑ 6.60% ↑ 6.78%
Cal-28 calendar 76.77 → 0.01% ↑ 3.20% ↑ 5.42%
Cal-29 calendar 67.55 → 0.05% ↑ 1.12% ↑ 6.83%

Electricity

£/MWh
Contract Price Day Week 30d
Sep-26 month 122.48 ↓ 0.16% ↑ 7.81% ↑ 10.72%
Oct-26 month 120.03 ↓ 0.49% ↑ 7.26% ↑ 10.83%
Nov-26 month 130.43 ↓ 0.62% ↑ 6.05%
Q4-26 quarter 126.51 ↓ 0.47% ↑ 6.82% ↑ 10.48%
Q1-27 quarter 122.99 ↓ 0.43% ↑ 7.21% ↑ 10.68%
Q2-27 quarter 84.84 ↓ 0.16% ↑ 2.31% ↑ 0.77%
Win-26 season 124.77 ↓ 0.45% ↑ 7.01% ↑ 10.58%
Sum-27 season 82.78 ↓ 0.16% ↑ 2.26% ↑ 0.89%
Win-27 season 85.42 ↑ 0.54% ↑ 1.79% ↑ 2.45%
Cal-27 calendar 92.76 ↓ 0.09% ↑ 3.72% ↑ 4.27%
Cal-28 calendar 72.54 ↓ 0.24% ↑ 1.37% ↑ 3.57%
Cal-29 calendar 67.15 ↓ 0.56% ↓ 0.16% ↑ 2.50%
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

No clear downward drivers noted today.

Risks that could push prices higher

Strait of hormuz deadline looms

The 60-day negotiating window for reopening the Strait of Hormuz expires this Sunday with no agreement in sight. Iran is demanding financial compensation for war casualties and restrictions on US and Israeli vessels; the US is refusing. Meanwhile, Houthi attacks on shipping and US naval strikes have continued, keeping the route effectively closed and threatening global LNG supply at a time when Europe desperately needs it.

European storage at decade low

Gas storage across Europe is stuck at around 59% full—the lowest level for this date in more than ten years. Germany is at 48%, the Netherlands at 41%. LNG inflows have fallen short of expectations, and injection rates remain sluggish. Without a sustained pickup in LNG arrivals, storage is now expected to plateau at 70–75% before winter, leaving little margin for error.

Norwegian supply losses extend

Gassco has extended the partial outage at Ormen Lange until 1 February 2027, removing a key source of flexibility. This week, an unplanned outage at Kollsnes gas plant took a further 11 mcm/d offline. Together, these losses are tightening near-term supply and keeping upward pressure on prices.

French nuclear offline; danube drought

A heatwave across Europe has forced French nuclear plants to scale back generation (15% of capacity offline today due to warm cooling water). Extreme drought on the Danube River has forced generation cuts across Southeast Europe; Romania has shut its 1.4GW Cernavoda plant entirely. These constraints are tightening continental power supply and pushing prices higher.

Weak wind, strong solar offsetting

Wind generation across the UK and Europe has been subdued (3–5 m/s), keeping upward pressure on gas-for-power demand. Strong solar output during daylight hours is providing some offset, but the net effect this week has been upward pressure on power prices.

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 cooler weather arrives next week as forecast and eases cooling demand, or if a diplomatic breakthrough unexpectedly reopens the Strait, geopolitical risk premiums could unwind and prices could ease back—particularly in power, which is most sensitive to near-term weather.

If prices rise again

Low storage leaves little cushion

If the Strait of Hormuz remains closed beyond this Sunday and LNG inflows to Europe continue to disappoint, European storage could fall further below 60% and prices could push higher as winter approaches and demand picks up.

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 10 Aug – 14 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: 151 distinct business-day reports from 5 January 2026 to 14 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.