National Grid DSO has awarded 52GWh of flexibility contracts to its FlexUp demand turn-up service, aiming to reduce renewable curtailment by shifting electricity use into periods of high clean generation, the operator said.
The FlexUp awards form part of the DSO’s latest long-term flexibility tender, which secured 196GWh of availability across its portfolio — around ten times more than last year.
Managing director Cathy McClay said the results demonstrate growing momentum behind flexibility as a smarter and more efficient way to operate the electricity network, adding that the strong response to FlexUp provides a platform for expanding local flexibility markets.
The 2025 tender introduced wider availability windows and increased service hours for providers across flexibility zones serving more than 4.5 million customers.
Alongside the long-term contracts, National Grid DSO said further opportunities remain in the short-term market, which is moving from a week-ahead to a day-ahead procurement model.
FlexUp was trialled across 23 high-voltage zones and is the DSO’s first demand turn-up service, designed to capture more value from renewable power already on the system.
The operator said the procurement round set a new benchmark for scale, accessibility and innovation.
