Reward to promote off-peak use of electricity

Households and businesses across the north and north-east could be rewarded for using their domestic appliances at off-peak hours.

Some households will be paid if they reduce their electricity usage during peak hours on some days this winter, after National Grid plans were given the goahead by the energy regulator.

Under the National Grid’s demand flexibility service (DFS), the scheme will pay £3 per kWh to encourage more people to use their washing machines and other electrical appliances late at night.

To qualify you must have a smart meter and your energy provider must sign up to take part.

A National Grid ESO spokesman said: “Consumers should already be receiving communications from their suppliers to sign up to the DFS if they want to participate and these communications will be continuing over the next couple of months.”

The scheme is designed to help the UK avoid power blackouts, which the National Grid has previously warned are a risk over the coming months due to a restriction on gas supplies across Europe as a result of the war in Ukraine.

The DFS is to be tested for the first time in the coming days to demonstrate its effectiveness.