Octopus Agile in East Midlands (DNO region B)
Homes in Nottingham, Leicester, Derby, Northampton, Lincoln, Mansfield are served by the National Grid Electricity Distribution (East Midlands) distribution network, which
Octopus Energy prices as Agile region B (GSP group _B).
Every half-hourly price you see above is specific to this region: Octopus applies a regional multiplier to the
wholesale price to cover East Midlands's network costs, then adds a fixed peak uplift to the 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM slots.
Region B tariff codes
- Agile import:
E-1R-AGILE-24-10-01-B - Agile Outgoing export:
E-1R-AGILE-OUTGOING-19-05-13-B
Standing charge & peak uplift notes
Agile has a daily standing charge that varies by region and is set by Octopus — the live figure for region B is shown above the dashboard when available. Because the network component of the East Midlands price is highest in the evening, expect the 4–7pm peak to sit well above the day's average, while overnight and windy-afternoon slots regularly fall below the ~24.5p/kWh price cap and occasionally below 0p.
How Octopus Agile Prices Are Calculated (Updated for April 2026)
Octopus Agile is a half-hourly “time-of-use” tariff. Instead of one flat unit rate, you pay a different price for each of the 48 half-hour slots in the day. Those prices are set the afternoon before, and they track the real cost of electricity on the wholesale market.
- Day-ahead wholesale auction. Every day, generators and suppliers trade electricity for the next day in half-hourly blocks on the day-ahead markets run by EPEX SPOT and Nord Pool. The auction clears in the early afternoon UK time.
- Regional distribution multiplier. Octopus multiplies the wholesale price by a factor that reflects network, balancing and policy costs in each of the 14 DNO regions, so London, Scotland and the South West all see slightly different prices for the same half-hour.
- 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM peak uplift. A fixed pence-per-kWh adder is applied to the six evening peak slots, when the grid is under the most strain. This is why the 4–7pm window is reliably the most expensive time to use electricity.
- April 2026 levy reduction. From April 2026, government policy costs that used to sit on electricity bills were reduced, taking roughly 3.5p/kWh (inc. VAT) off the unit-rate formula. Agile customers see that reduction in every half-hour slot.
- Price Cap Protect. However high wholesale prices go, Agile unit rates are capped at 100p/kWh (£1/kWh) inc. VAT. There is no floor, which is why rates can fall below zero during “plunge pricing”.
- 5% VAT is then added for domestic customers. Export rates on Agile Outgoing carry no VAT.
The result is published to the Octopus Energy API between 4:00 PM and 4:30 PM UK time, and AgileWatch UK reads it the moment it appears.
Octopus Agile East Midlands FAQ
What is the Octopus Agile region code for East Midlands?
East Midlands is DNO region B (Grid Supply Point group _B). Agile import tariff codes for this area end in -B, for example E-1R-AGILE-24-10-01-B.
When is the cheapest time to use electricity in Nottingham?
On Octopus Agile the cheapest half-hours in East Midlands are usually overnight (roughly midnight to 5am) and, on sunny or windy days, around midday. The 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM peak is almost always the most expensive. Use the calculator above to find today's exact cheapest window for Nottingham, Leicester, Derby and the rest of region B.
What time do Octopus Agile rates for tomorrow get published?
Every afternoon between 4:00 PM and 4:30 PM UK time. Octopus converts the results of the day-ahead wholesale electricity auction (which clears around 3:00 PM UK time) into tomorrow's 48 half-hourly Agile prices. AgileWatch UK shows a live countdown to 4:00 PM and switches to tomorrow's rates automatically as soon as they appear.
How do I find my Octopus Agile DNO region letter?
Type your postcode into the search box at the top of the dashboard. We look up your Grid Supply Point group from the Octopus Energy API (for example _C for London) and save your region on this device. The letter is also the last character of your tariff code on your bill, e.g. E-1R-AGILE-24-10-01-C. There are 14 regions, A to P — the letters I and O are not used.
Why do Octopus Agile prices spike between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM?
The early evening is when national demand peaks: people get home, cook and switch on heating while solar output falls away. Wholesale prices rise, network costs are highest and Agile adds a fixed peak uplift to every half-hour from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Moving flexible loads such as EV charging, dishwashers and immersion heaters out of this window is the single biggest way to save on Agile.
What is Octopus Plunge Pricing and how do I get paid to use electricity?
Plunge pricing happens when strong wind or solar generation meets low demand and wholesale prices go negative. On Agile, the unit rate for those half-hours drops to 0p or below, so you are credited for every kWh you use. Charging an EV or home battery, heating your hot water tank or running the washing machine during a plunge slot earns you money. AgileWatch shows an electric-blue alert whenever a slot today or tomorrow is at or below 0p/kWh.
Does Octopus Agile have exit fees or a fixed contract?
No. Octopus Agile is a variable tariff with no exit fees and no fixed term, so you can switch to another tariff (such as Flexible Octopus or Octopus Tracker) if wholesale prices rise in winter and switch back later.
Octopus Agile prices in the other 13 regions
- A Eastern England Norwich, Ipswich, Cambridge
- C London Greater London, Central London, Westminster
- D Merseyside & Northern Wales Liverpool, Chester, Wrexham
- E West Midlands Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton
- F North Eastern England Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough
- G North Western England Manchester, Preston, Blackpool
- H Southern England Southampton, Portsmouth, Reading
- J South Eastern England Brighton, Canterbury, Guildford
- K Southern Wales Cardiff, Swansea, Newport
- L South Western England Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth
- M Yorkshire Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford
- N Southern Scotland Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling
- P Northern Scotland Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness