Yes, from November 2022 to March 2023, some UK homeowners will receive payments for reducing their electricity consumption at home.
This has been made possible through the Demand Flexibility Service (DFS) - a scheme created by the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) to encourage consumers to reduce their power consumption at certain times.
If the scheme is successful, it could prevent the UK from having to dip into its emergency electricity supplies - and even avoid blackouts.
How does the Demand Flexibility Service (DFS) work?
The DFS scheme has partnered with energy suppliers and companies around the UK to offer users payments if they successfully reduce their energy consumption during certain timeframes.
The National Grid is keen to point out that customers won't need to cut off all power during these times, just reduce the amount of energy they use. And the more they reduce, the more they get paid.
The scheme can be broken down into five simple steps:
- Energy supplier signs up for the DFS
- The supplier gets in touch with customers about the scheme
- Eligible customers sign up if they want to get involved
- The supplier sends an alert out to customers 24 hours before the 'test' (times when customers should reduce power consumption) begins
- Customers will receive payment for the amount of energy they reduced
DFS tests should last for roughly one hour and will take place during weekdays - when demand for electricity is at its highest. However, the ESO has suggested that these tests could last up to 3-4 hours if needed.
Customers can expect a maximum of 12 tests between November and March 2023.
Although the exact details of the scheme will vary, depending on which energy supplier the customer is accessing it through, tests will have a guaranteed minimum price of £3 per kWh - meaning a typical household could save about £100 over the course of winter 2022/2023 (if they participate in every test).
Users can choose to have this money through credit on their energy account or by having it directly transferred to their bank account.
If you register to take part in the DFS but later decide you don't want to, don't worry, there aren't any penalties for not participating once you have signed up - you just won't receive any payments.