Following the National Energy System Operator’s (NESO) draft update in December, the NESO has now confirmed the final Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) tariffs for 2026/27, ahead of implementation on 1 April 2026.
While the final figures broadly align with the revised forecasts published late last year, NESO’s confirmation removes any remaining uncertainty of how this will impact energy bills from April. The scale of the increase means TNUoS will become a much more significant element within the overall electricity cost for businesses.
What’s been confirmed?
NESO has confirmed that average TNUoS charges will rise by around 62% on average in 2026/27 compared to the current year. This increase will help fund an estimated £3.5bn shortfall in the budget that National Grid requires to upgrade and expand the existing transmission network.
While this increase is lower than earlier forecasts published in 2025, it still represents one of the largest year-on-year rises ever seen in transmission charges. Crucially, NESO has also confirmed that its five-year forward projection remains unchanged, with TNUoS charges still expected to rise by around 69% over that period.
In short, while the short-term outlook is now clear, upward pressure on network costs is set to continue well beyond April.
What can businesses do now?
With the 2026/27 figures now confirmed, the focus for business should be on understanding exposure and taking action.
- Review your electricity contract to understand whether TNUoS is passed through and how increases will affect your bills
- Checking capacity and charging banding, particularly where demand patterns have changed in recent years
- Optimising operations, such as load shifting or reviewing demand profiles, to minimise exposure where possible
- Exploring exemptions and reliefs, including Non-Final Demand status, where applicable
- Considering longer-term options, such as on-site generation to reduce overall dependence on energy from the grid
Use the TNUoS calculator
To help businesses understand the scale of the impact, our TNUoS calculator has now been updated to reflect the confirmed 2026/27 charges.
By inputting a small amount of your site’s energy information, you can see how the changes may affect your costs over the next five years. All results are anonymised and aggregated, supporting our ongoing work with the NFU to evidence the real-world impact of these increases on agricultural businesses.
Calculate your TNUoS impact here
Join our free webinar - 5 February
We’ll be unpacking the confirmed figures, what they mean in practice, and the steps businesses can take in our upcoming webinar on Wednesday, 5 February, 10.00 – 11.00 am.
The session will cover:
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Revisit what is happening with standing charges
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What has changed and what hasn’t in the final TNUoS figures
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The differing impacts on high energy users versus other businesses
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Practical mitigation strategies and forward planning
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Live Q&A with our energy experts
If you would like to discuss your specific situation, review future cost forecasts, or explore mitigation options, our team is on hand to help.