Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)
Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 5.3 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £51.2bn in 2025.
Trends and Insights
A hike in wholesale prices take a hit on suppliers in the aftermath of the pandemic
- A mismatch between global supply and demand for natural gas caused a surge in wholesale electricity prices in the aftermath of the pandemic. This was exacerbated by the impact of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with the threat of Russia ‘turning off the taps’ to the European gas supply causing a renewed spike in natural gas prices. According to Ofgem, monthly average wholesale electricity prices were £263.79/MWh in March 2022, up from £69.38/MWh in April 2021.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2025-2030)
Market size is projected to decline over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
The energy price cap is forecast to remain elevated in the short-term
- After creeping up as colder temperatures led to the depletion of Europe’s natural gas reserves, wholesale electricity prices are set to remain elevated in the short-term. This is due to strong demand for natural gas as Europe seeks to replenish stocks, while Russian attacks on Ukrainian gas infrastructure has forced Ukraine to import natural gas from neighbouring European countries in the latter part of the current year. This has pushed up the cost of electricity purchased on forward markets, which will feed into costs and tariffs in 2025-26.
Biggest companies in the Electricity Supply in the UK
| Company | Market Share (%)
2025 | Revenue (£m)
2025 |
|---|---|---|
EDF Energy Holdings Ltd | 9,531.8 | |
E.ON UK Holdings Company Ltd | 9,262.9 | |
Centrica plc | 8,109.6 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 8 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Gas-fired electricity, Offshore wind power and Onshore wind power. Gas-fired electricity is the largest segment of the Electricity Supply in the UK.
Trends and Insights
Gas generation is sloping downwards but remains the dominant source UK electricity production
- As natural gas is regarded as the cleanest fossil fuel, gas-fired electricity generation has typically been less impacted by efforts to decarbonise the UK's electricity network than other more emissive fossil fuels.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Operators in this industry purchase electricity from the wholesale market or generators and sell it to households and businesses.
What's included in this industry?
Electricity supplyCompanies
EDF Energy Holdings LtdE.ON UK Holdings Company LtdCentrica plcPurchase this report to view all 8 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
DUAL-FUELBASELOAD ELECTRICITY GENERATIONBIG SIXBACKWARDATION COSTSIndustry Code
SIC 35.14 - Electricity Supply in the UK
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Surge in wholesale prices causes industry shake-up. A steep rise in wholesale electricity prices led to the collapse of numerous energy suppliers during the energy crisis; le...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Gas holds sway in UK's power generation. Despite rapid expansion in the UK's renewable electricity generation capacity, natural gas remains the dominant source of electricity...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2025
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2025
- Major market segmentation in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
London and the South East lead the UK's electricity consumption. This is mainly due to the capital's densely populated commercial premises and the South East's large local po...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Rigorous financial checks bolsters energy market resilience. Ofgem has tightened entry requirements, necessitating potential entrants to exhibit significant financial stabili...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
Suppliers benefit from government support. Electricity suppliers received billions of pounds in payments relating to the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) over the two years throu...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
- Overview of EDF Energy Holdings Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of E.ON UK Holdings Company Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of Centrica plc's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 5 additional companies
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for EDF Energy Holdings Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for E.ON UK Holdings Company Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Centrica plc, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description, key data and performance trends for 5 additional companies
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Regulatory measures shape the electricity market. The Electricity Act 1989, Energy Act 2023, and other regulations like Ofgem licenses and the Tariff Cap play an integral rol...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Surging wholesale gas prices rocket purchase costs. The SVT price cap forced suppliers to bear a more significant share of increasing wholesale prices, with the discrepancy b...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Liquidity Ratios (2019-2023)
- Coverage Ratios (2019-2023)
- Leverage Ratios (2019-2023)
- Operating Ratios (2019-2023)
- Assets (2019-2023)
- Liabilities (2019-2023)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
- Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Average Wage (2015-2030)
- Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
- Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2015-2030)
- IVA (2015-2030)
- Establishments (2015-2030)
- Enterprises (2015-2030)
- Employment (2015-2030)
- Exports (2015-2030)
- Imports (2015-2030)
- Wages (2015-2030)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Electricity Supply in the UK industry in United Kingdom in 2025?
The market size of the Electricity Supply in the UK industry in United Kingdom is £51.2bn in 2025.
How many businesses are there in the Electricity Supply in the UK industry in 2025?
There are 33 businesses in the Electricity Supply in the UK industry in United Kingdom, which has declined at a CAGR of 12.1 % between 2020 and 2025.
Has the Electricity Supply in the UK industry in United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Electricity Supply in the UK industry in United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 5.3 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Electricity Supply in the UK industry in United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Electricity Supply in the UK industry in United Kingdom is expected to decline.
What are the biggest companies in the Electricity Supply in the UK market in United Kingdom?
The biggest companies operating in the Electricity Supply market in United Kingdom are EDF Energy Holdings Ltd, E.ON UK Holdings Company Ltd and Centrica plc
What does the Electricity Supply in the UK in United Kingdom include?
Electricity supply and are part of the Electricity Supply in the UK industry.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Electricity Supply in the UK in United Kingdom?
The company holding the most market share in United Kingdom is EDF Energy Holdings Ltd.
How competitive is the Electricity Supply in the UK industry in United Kingdom?
The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Electricity Supply in the UK industry in United Kingdom.
Related Industries
Widen your competitive advantage with related industries
Competitors
Complementors
International industries
View all industries in United Kingdom
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in the UK include:
- Office for National Statistics
- Office for Budget Responsibility
- Bank of England
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
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