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Electricity supply and demand must balance as they change

On Great Britain’s grid, a mismatch between electricity supply and demand can push frequency away from its usual level near 50 Hz. Frequency provides a way into the challenge of coordinating many generators and users at once.

3–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • What does a falling frequency reveal about the balance at that moment?
  • How do generators, storage, and responsive demand offer different ways to correct an imbalance?

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