National Grid ESO (ESO) has confirmed that the first Demand Flexibility Service (DFS) test will take place this evening (Thursday).
Between 17:00 and 18:30 this evening households and businesses taking part in the service will be asked to reduce their electricity usage in return for various rewards, including points and prizes.
A number of energy suppliers – including Octopus, OVO and EDF – have signed up to partake in the service for a second year running.
Due to the popularity of the service, which saw 1.4 million households and businesses sign up since it launched on 30 October, the ESO will stagger this test event with some energy suppliers asked to participate between 17:00-18:00 and others between 17:30 and 18:30.
“We’re excited to see that providers, consumer households and businesses are getting engaged in such numbers this year with the Demand Flexibility Service,” said Claire Dytka, director of Markets at the ESO.
“We’re really pleased to see the high level of participation at this early stage and expect this only to grow as more people get engaged in demand flexibility for the first time, following the success of the service last year.”
This DFS hopes to repeat the success of last year’s, which displaced over 3.3GWh of electricity.
