How to Play Power Grid if hate rulebooks

I hate rulebooks! This condensed How to Play Power Grid rules help players get the essential instructions without having to trawl rulebooks.

The Power Grid overview page introduces you to the game through a summary of the gameplay and videos shared by other gamers.

What are the components in Power Grid?

• 1 two-sided board: Germany/USA with scoring track, player order and resource market
• 132 wooden houses in 6 colors: 22 per player
• 84 wooden resource tokens: 24 coal (brown), 24 oil (black), 24 garbage (yellow), 12 uranium (red)
• 1 auction hammer, 1 discount token, 1 “Step 2” barrier, 1 “Game End” barrier
• money (in Elektro): 40 “1s”, 15 “5s”, 40 “10s”, 25 “50s”
  • 54 playing cards:
    42 power plant cards: with numbers “03”–“40”, “42”, “44”, “46” and “50”
    1 “Step 3” card
    5 resource refill summary cards
    6 payment summary cards

Power Grid Game Setup

1. Board Placement:
   • Place the board in the center.
   • Suggest Germany for the first game.
   • Map divided into 6 areas with 7 cities each.
   • Players choose a contiguous playing zone based on the number of players.
     • 2 -3 players: 3 areas
     • 4 players: 4 areas
     • 5 players: 5 areas
     • 6 players: 6 areas
2. Player Components:
   • Each player takes:
     • 22 houses of one color.
     • 50 Elektro.
     • Payment summary card.
3. Scoring Track:
   • Each player places one house on space 0 of the scoring track for connected cities.
4. Determine Player Order:
   • Take one house from each player.
   • Randomly place houses on the top row of the player order track.
5. Resource Market Setup:
   • Players have access to different resources at varying prices.
   • Use the following to to fill resource market spaces on the board:
     • Coal: Spaces 1-8
     • Oil: Spaces 3-8
     • Garbage: Spaces 6-8
     • Uranium: Spaces 14-16
   • Cheapest starting spaces marked with a star symbol
   • Prices shown at the top right of each space.
6. Resource Tokens and Money:
   • Place remaining resource tokens near the resource market.
   • Separate money by value and place next to the board.
   • USA map: There is a storage space for coal next to the resource market. At the beginning of the game, this storage space is empty, as all coal tokens are placed on the spaces of the resource market.
7. Resource Refill Card:
   • Place the appropriate resource refill summary card next to the resource market.
   • Card shows resource refill values for both maps and player count.
8. Power Plant Market Setup:
   • Shuffle power plant cards numbered “03” to “15”.
   • Draw 8 cards and place face up in ascending order:
     • 4 smallest in the top row (current market).
     • 4 remaining in the bottom row (future market).
   • Set aside one more power plant card with a plug on the back.
9. Power Plant Cards Preparation:
   • Set aside the “Step 3” card.
   • Shuffle power plant cards with a socket on the back.
   • Randomly remove power plant cards based on player count (as shown below)
     • 2 players: remove 1 power plant with plug on the bank, remove 5 power plants with socket on the back
     • 3 players: remove 2 power plant with plug on the bank, remove 6 power plants with socket on the back
     • 4 players: remove 1 power plant with plug on the bank, remove 3 power plants with socket on the back
     • 5-6 players: don’t remove any
   • Shuffle remaining cards and place face down next to the market.
   • Place “Step 3” card face down under the stack.
   • Place the set-aside power plant card on top of the stack.
10. Additional Components:
    • Place auction hammer and discount token next to the power plant market.
    • Place two oblong barriers next to the scoring track.
11. For Experienced Players:
    • After determining player order and choosing the playing zone:
      • Each player chooses a future starting city in player order.
      • Mark temporarily with a uranium token.

Power Grid Power Plants Rules

1. Power Plant Numbers:
   • Number indicates the minimum bid for auction.
   • Used to sort power plants by size in the market.
   • Determines player order if players have the same number of cities.
2. Illustration:
   • Middle picture is decorative and has no gameplay role.
3. Resource Bar and Symbols:
   • Colored bar and symbols show resource type and amount needed (brown: coal, black: oil, yellow: garbage, red: uranium).
   • Must use exact number of resources as shown on the card.
   • Each plant can only store resources needed for production.
   • Storage limit is twice the number of resource symbols.
   • Hybrid plants (brown/black) can use coal, oil, or a mix.
   • Ecological plants (green or blue) require no resources and cannot store any.
4. City Supply:
   • Number in the house shows how many cities a plant can supply.
   • Cannot use partial resources to supply fewer cities.
   • Cannot supply more cities than indicated, even if extra resources are stored.
   • Ecological plants always supply the indicated number of cities without resources.

Power Grid Gameplay

Rounds and Phases:

• The game consists of several rounds.
• Each round has five phases:
  1. Determine Player Order
  2. Auction Power Plants
  3. Buy Resources
  4. Build Houses
  5. Bureaucracy

• Players take actions in the specified order for each phase before moving to the next.

Steps:

• The game is divided into three Steps.
• Steps are explained after the phase descriptions.

Phase 1: Determine Player Order

Determine player order for the round.

First Player:

• Player with the most cities in their network (highest on the scoring track).
• If tied, player with the largest power plant.
• Place this player’s house on the first space of the player order track.

Remaining Players:

• Determine positions using the same rules.

Beginning of Game:

• Player order is determined randomly.

Phase 2: Auction Power Plants

Phase Overview:

• Each player may buy at most 1 power plant.
• Played in player order, starting with the first player.

Discount Token:

• Place the discount token on the smallest power plant in the current market.
• Minimum bid for this plant is 1 Elektro.

Auction Process:

• First Player Actions:
  • Choose a power plant for auction (only from the current market).
  • Place the auction hammer on the chosen power plant.
  • Make an initial bid (must match or be higher than the plant’s number or 1 Elektro if discounted).
• Bidding:
  • Other players bid in clockwise order or pass.
  • Once a player passes, they cannot reenter the auction.
  • Bidding continues until one player remains.
• Winning Bid:
  • Winner pays the highest bid to the bank and takes the power plant.
  • Move their house from the top to the bottom row of the player order track.
  • Draw a new power plant to replace the purchased one and rearrange the market.

Important Rules:

• First Round:
  • Each player must buy 1 power plant.
• Discounted Power Plant:
  • Minimum bid remains 1 Elektro while the discount token is on it.
  • If a new power plant with a lower number is drawn, remove it and the discount token, then draw another.
  • If not bought, remove it at the end of Phase 2 and replace it.
• Bidding Restrictions:
  • Players who bought a power plant cannot bid or offer another in the same round.
• Auction Continuation:
  • The next player offers a power plant for auction or passes.
• Owning Power Plants:
  • Each player can own only 3 power plants at a time.
  • When buying a fourth, they must scrap one and may move resources to remaining plants if possible.
• Last Player:
  • Pays the minimum bid to buy the chosen power plant.

• Passing the Auction:
  • A player may choose to pass the auction.
  • If passed, the player cannot bid in later auctions this phase and won’t get a new power plant this round.
  • Move the player’s house on the player order track to the same numbered space on the bottom row.
  • The next player in turn order takes their turn if they haven’t purchased a power plant.
  • First Round Exception:
    • At the end of this phase, determine player order again using the tied rule.
    • All players will have bought one power plant.
• End of Phase:
  • Move all houses on the player order track back to the top row.

Phase 3: Buy Resources

Phase Overview:

• Players buy resources for their power plants from the resource market.
• Played in reverse player order, starting with the last player.

Resource Purchase:

• Each power plant needs resources matching the symbols on the card to produce electricity.
• Power plants can store up to twice the number of required resources.
• Players may only buy resources their power plants can use.
• Purchase resources from the market spaces, paying the price shown in the upper right of each space.

Player Turn:

• Player pays the bank for each token.
• Move their house on the player order track to the same numbered space on the bottom row.
• Next player takes their turn.

Resource Depletion:

• If a resource type is depleted, no more tokens of that type can be bought until the next round.

USA Map Special Rule:

• Players can always buy coal for 8 Elektro from the storage space next to the market if coal is depleted in the market.

Rearranging Resources:

• Players can rearrange resource tokens among their power plants if there is space.

End of Phase:

• Move all houses on the player order track back to the top row.

Phase 4: Build Houses

Phase Overview:

• Players connect new cities to their networks.
• Played in reverse player order, starting with the last player.

Starting a Network:

• Choose an empty city in the playing zone.
• Place a house on the number 10 space in the city.
• Pay 10 Elektro to the bank.

Experienced Players – Default Starting Cities:

• Pick a marked starting city, exchange the uranium token with a house, and return the token to the supply.
• Cannot connect to these cities in “Step 1”.

Connecting New Cities:

• Must connect to at least one city already in the network.
• Choose the cheapest connection and pay the total of connection costs and building cost (10, 15, or 20 Elektro) to the bank.
• Can connect any number of cities in a turn, paying all costs.
• Move house on the player order track to the bottom row after connecting.

Important Rules:

• Step 1: Each city can only be connected by one player.
• Step 2: Each city can be connected by two players.
• Step 3: Each city can be connected by three players.
• Building costs: 10, 15, 20 Elektro for the first, second, and third house in a city plus connection costs.
• Can add any city inside the playing zone if there is an empty space.
• Cannot use cities or connections outside the playing zone.
• Some cities have a connection cost of zero Elektro.
• Maximum of one house in each of the two cities of a metropolis.
• Cannot connect to the same city twice.
• Place house on the lowest empty space in a new city (10, 15, or 20 Elektro).
• Can expand network from connected cities and use new connections made during the turn.
• Pay all connecting and building costs from one connected city to each new city.

Additional Notes:

• Can start networks in later rounds to tactically influence player order.
• Suggest placing new houses on their sides temporarily to check costs and connections.
• Update the scoring track for connected cities immediately after connecting a new city.

End of Phase:

• Move all houses on the player order track back to the top row.

Phase 5: Bureaucracy

1. Earning Cash:
   • Order: Start with the first player.
   • Indicate Supply: Players indicate how many cities they can supply with electricity.
   • Cash Earnings: Earn cash based on supplied cities (see payment summary card).
   • Minimum Earnings: 10 Elektro if no city is supplied.
   • Resource Removal: Remove required resources from power plants and place used resources in the resource supply next to the market.
   • Partial Supply: Players may choose to supply fewer cities than they have.
   • Surplus Waste: Excess electricity produced is wasted.
   • Power Plant Choice: Players choose which power plants to use.
   • USA Map Special Rule: Coal markers placed on storage space next to the market if used to supply electricity.
     
2. Resupply the Resource Market:
   • Resupply Based on: Number of players and current game Step.
   • Refill Summary Card: Shows the resupply values for each resource type.
   • Placing Tokens: Start with the highest-priced space, place tokens until the stated amount is reached.
   • Limited Resources: If supply runs out, that resource type is not fully resupplied.
   • Germany Map Special Rule: No further uranium resupply after buying power plant “39”.
     
3. Update the Power Plant Market:
   • Step 1 and Step 2:
     • Place highest numbered future market plant face down below the stack.
     • Draw a new plant to replace it and rearrange the market.
     • High numbered plants collected below the Step 3 card become available in Step 3.
   • Step 3:
     • Remove the smallest numbered plant from the current market and draw a replacement.
     • If the stack is exhausted, continue removing the smallest plant each Phase 5.
       
4. Phase Completion:
   • Phase 5 and the round are complete.
   • Start a new round with Phase 1.

Steps of the Game

Game Progression:

• The game runs through three Steps: Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3.
• Begins with Step 1.
• Step 2 starts when a player connects a certain number of cities.
• Step 3 begins when the Step 3 card is drawn from the power plant stack.
• Game usually ends in Step 3, but can end in Step 2.

Step 1

• Each city can only have one house.
• Building cost for the first house is 10 Elektro.
• Resource resupply follows the left column on the resource refill summary card.

Step 2

• Begins at the start of Phase 5 (Bureaucracy) after a player connects the required number of cities.
  • 2-5 players: 7 connected cities
  • 6 players: 6 connected cities
• Place the Step 2 barrier on the matching space of the scoring track.
• Remove the lowest numbered power plant from the current market and replace it with a new one.
• Each city can have houses from two different players.
• Building cost for the second house is 15 Elektro.
• First house in an empty city still costs 10 Elektro.
• Resource resupply follows the center column on the resource refill summary card.

Step 3

• Begins at the start of the next phase after drawing the Step 3 card.
• If drawn in Phase 2 (Auction Power Plants):
  • Treat the Step 3 card as the highest power plant for the rest of the phase.
  • Shuffle the power plant stack and place it face down.
  • Remove the lowest numbered power plant and the Step 3 card after Phase 2.
  • Step 3 starts at the beginning of Phase 3 (Buy Resources).
• If drawn in Phase 5 (Bureaucracy):
  • Remove the Step 3 card and the lowest numbered power plant.
  • Shuffle the power plant stack and place it face down.
  • Final resource resupply follows Step 2 values (center column).
  • Step 3 starts at the beginning of the next round (Determine Player Order).
• Only 6 power plants in the market, no future market.
• Players can bid on all 6 power plants in Phase 2.
• Each city can have houses from three different players.
• Building cost for the third house is 20 Elektro.
• First house in an empty city costs 10 Elektro; second house costs 15 Elektro if space is available.
• Resource resupply follows the right column on the resource refill summary card.

Special Case:

• If Step 3 begins before Step 2, first perform all Step 2 changes, then continue with Step 3 changes.

End of Game and Winning

1. Game End Trigger:
   • Game ends immediately after Phase 4 (Build Houses) when a player connects the required number of cities.
     • 2 players: 18 Connected Cities
     • 3-4 players: 17 Connected Cities
     • 5 players: 15 Connected Cities
     • 6 players: 14 Connected Cities
   • Use the Game End barrier to mark the matching space on the scoring track.
2. Connecting Additional Cities:
   • Players may connect more cities than needed to end the game if necessary to win.
3. Final Phase (Bureaucracy):
   • Players do not earn money for powering cities.
   • Check which player supplies electricity to the most cities using their resources and power plants.
   • This is the number of cities they normally earn cash from.
4. Determining the Winner:
   • The player who can power the most cities wins.
   • If there is a tie, the player with the most remaining money wins.
5. Important Note:
   • A player other than the one ending the game may win if the latter cannot supply electricity to all their cities due to insufficient power plant capacity or resources.

Additional Rules for 2 player Power Grid Game

• While challenging the single opponent, players are confronted with the schemes of an old-established Trust.
• This Trust blocks cities and snags the most attractive power plants, while consuming the matching resources.

Setup for the Trust:

• Space Allocation: Trust needs its own space next to the game board for its power plants.
• Houses and Player Order: Trust gets 16 houses of its color and an additional house for player order (no house on the scoring track for connected cities). Trust does not get any money.
• First Player: Randomly determine the first player among the two players. Place one of their houses on space 1 of the player order.
• Trust’s Player Order: Trust is always second in player order. Place the Trust’s house on space 2. The other player places their house on space 3.
• Contiguous Playing Zone: Choose a playing zone of 3 adjacent areas. Place 6 Trust houses on the number 10 spaces of 6 adjacent cities.
  • Placement Rules:
    • Starting player places one Trust house on any city.
    • The other player places 2 Trust houses, one at a time, adjacent to an already placed Trust house.
    • Starting player places the next 2 Trust houses, using the same rules.
    • The other player places the last Trust house, using the same rules.
• Remaining Houses: Place the remaining 10 Trust houses as a supply next to the game board.

For Experienced Players – Default Starting Cities:

• Determine the 6 starting cities of the Trust before choosing their 2 future starting cities.
• Mark future starting cities with uranium tokens and place a Trust house on the space numbered 15 of these cities.
• Trust starts the game with only 8 houses in its supply.

Gameplay

General Rules for the Trust

• No Money Usage: Trust takes power plants and resources for free.
• House Placement: Trust places houses without any costs.
• Step 2: Trust does not trigger Step 2.
• City Blocking: Trust’s houses block the first or second spaces of cities.

Phase 1: Determine Player Order

• Trust is always second in player order.

Phase 2: Auction Power Plants

• Player Actions: First player chooses a power plant to auction or opts out.
• Trust Actions: Trust takes the biggest (fourth) power plant in the current market after a player buys a power plant or opts out.
• Trust Ownership: If Trust owns 3 power plants, it takes a new one only if it has a bigger number than its smallest. Trust scraps the smallest power plant when taking a new one.

Phase 3: Buying Resources

• Resource Collection: Trust takes all necessary resource tokens for its power plants for normal production.
• Storage: Trust does not store resources.
• Resource Shortage: If resources are insufficient, Trust takes as many as possible.
• Hybrid Power Plants: Trust alternates between coal and oil, starting with coal.

Phase 4: Building Houses

• Step 1 Restrictions: Players cannot connect to the six cities where Trust’s houses are on space 10.
• Step 2 Access: These cities are available when Step 2 starts.
• New Connections: When a player connects a new city, they place a Trust house on space 15 of that city.
• City Blocking: First 10 cities connected by players are blocked during Step 2 and can only be connected by the other player during Step 3.

Phase 5: Bureaucracy

• Resource Return: Trust places all resource tokens from its power plants back into the supply next to the resource market.

End of the Game

• Game End Trigger: Game ends immediately after Phase 4 (Build Houses) when a player connects 18 or more cities.
• Trust Role: Trust cannot win but serves to place obstacles for players.