Government wants AI running the UK’s power grid
Key Points
- Government launched its AI for clean energy vision on 8 September and opened a consultation
- Minister Martin McCluskey said AI is the only way to manage millions of decentralised grid assets
- An independent review led by Lucy Yu recommended moving to a probabilistic grid
- A full AI in Energy Strategy is due next year
- McCluskey warned AI must not add vulnerabilities to infrastructure already targeted by hostile states
Minister for Local Energy and Jobs Martin McCluskey said on Tuesday (8 September) that the UK grid is now managing millions of decentralised generating assets and that AI is the only way to balance supply and demand in real time.
McCluskey made the remarks in a speech at the Google for Startups Accelerator: Europe event at Google’s London office, published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
The government launched its AI for clean energy vision at the same event and opened a consultation on how AI could transform the energy system.
The vision sets out early thinking on how AI could improve grid efficiency, cut costs and strengthen energy security.
McCluskey said the government wants views from the public and industry on what role government should play, what AI’s long-term impact on the energy system will be, how to mitigate the risks and how to remove barriers to adoption.
Those answers will shape an AI in Energy Strategy the government plans to publish next year.
The department also published an independent review of AI deployment in electricity networks, led by AI Energy Champion Lucy Yu.
The review recommended moving towards a probabilistic grid, delivering tangible benefits for consumers, establishing clear governance and accelerating the rollout of AI solutions across the network.
McCluskey said the department’s number one priority is making energy more affordable for households and businesses, and that AI has real potential to deliver that.
He said the UK grid was once run centrally around a handful of large coal-fired power stations with highly predictable peaks and troughs in demand.
Total solar capacity across the UK passed 2 million installations for the first time in March 2026.
In 2025, the UK had nearly 3,000 fully commissioned offshore wind turbines across 46 wind farms, providing up to 16.5 GW of grid-connected capacity.
McCluskey said the government needs to take the risks of adding more AI to the energy system seriously, given that energy infrastructure is a known target for hostile states across Europe.
“So we cannot be introducing risks and vulnerabilities into our own system from technology that haven’t been fully explored yet,” said McCluskey.
He added that the government must maintain public consent and explain why it is pursuing the policy rather than simply creating it.
The department’s Interim AI Adoption Plan, published in June, identified four barriers to adoption: better data, clearer routes from innovation to deployment, trusted governance frameworks, and the skills needed to scale solutions across the system.
McCluskey said those barriers represent market opportunities for start-ups, including unlocking high-value datasets, making critical infrastructure more resilient and bridging the gap between successful pilots and nationwide deployment.
“AI can help us get there faster,” said McCluskey. “And it has the power to unlock a cheaper, fairer, simpler energy system for millions of people.”
