For the second day in a row, chosen households all across the country will have the opportunity to earn some cash by not using their electricity tonight.
It comes after the National Grid Electricity System Operator ran its first-ever live service of the Demand Flexibility Scheme (DFS) on Monday evening. According to the grid operator, some businesses and households will be asked to turn off their appliances for an hour or two tonight to help ease pressure on the national grid supply.
Tuesday's sessions will run between 4.30pm and 6pm tonight, according to the ESO. The country-wide effort was cooked up by the National Grid to reduce strain on the UK's energy grid at peak times and is hoped that it will allow everyone in the country to get the electricity they need.
Read more: Twins 'untouchable' drug empire brought down by a Ford Fiesta
In a statement on Monday afternoon, the National Grid said: "We have taken this decision as we currently see a similar operational picture to the one available on Sunday. The use of these additional services is not an indication that electricity supplies are at risk, but that we require greater options to manage the network as normal.”
While several tests of the scheme had been run in the past, Monday was the first that a live run of the DFS had been called after a previous run was cancelled before it had time to take place. Octopus Energy customers are among those who can expect a high payout for taking part.
According to the supplier, all customers who take part can expect to be handed £3.37 worth of points per unit of electricity they save - 50 per cent higher than previous payments. Other suppliers across the country will also bid for higher contracts than usual, allowing them to pay customers more for taking part in the scheme.
So far, 26 suppliers have signed up to DFS who will invite eligible households to sign up to the scheme in advance. Meanwhile, the ESO said on Monday that three coal power plants were asked to warm up in case supplies became tight on Tuesday.
The sites, owned by Drax and EDF, were initially meant to permanently close due to the country phasing out coal usage. Despite this, they were kept on standby this winter as part of a government deal tacking the ongoing energy crisis - none have needed to be used as of yet.
Expert Adam Bell, head of policy at consultancy Stonehaven, said the system was working as it should. “This is all fine and just the grid doing its job,” Mr Bell said, adding that the demand flexibility side is “interesting”.
Craig Dyke, ESO head of national control, told Sky News: “We took the decision over the weekend to warm three coal-fired power stations, just for contingency, so not necessarily to run. Just to ensure that as we get through the evening peak today, we can ensure society that there will be electricity for them to use when they want to use it.”
Read next:
- 'Selfish' parents caught parking across driveways near primary school
- The hilltop trail in Greater Manchester with stunning views on a clear winter’s day
- Perverted loner who took hundreds of pictures of women's bottoms is now behind bars
- The tragedy of an 'adored' dad-of-three, 29, killed in tram crash
- Mum left with bald patches after 'drunk woman' hurled abuse and ripped out her hair in attack that halted Lewis Capaldi gig
