A Smart Grid is an electricity power system that can intelligently integrate the actions of all users connected to it - generators, consumers and those that do both - in order to efficiently deliver sustainable, economic and secure electricity supplies. The electricity grid is the infrastructure that ensures every home and every business has a ready supply of power. The grid consists of the substations, the pylons and the overhead cables, as well as the wires leading directly into office buildings and homes. Major power stations like Drax or Sizewell B are all connected to the grid. So are new on-shore and off-shore wind farms and the solar panels on roofs. This is the supply side. At the other end, on the demand side, electrical appliances like fridges, freezers, washing machines and kettles are all also connected to the grid. The level of demand changes all the time as appliances are switched on and off, lights are used and buildings warmed or cooled. The amount of supply being generated can also change dramatically if the grid has a technical fault. However, the grid cannot yet store spare electricity. So it is the job of the grid’s operators to ensure that demand and supply are in balance at all times. Find out more about Balancing the Grid