Over 2.2 million businesses and households have signed up to participate in this year’s Demand Flexibility Service, “eclipsing participation levels at this stage last year”, according to system operator NGESO.
The ESO said in the six test events and two live events across November and December 2023 households and businesses have saved a total of 2,507MWh.
So far participating providers – of which there are 43 – have earned over £9.3million which they have passed onto households and businesses in the form of pounds, points and prizes.
NGESO said the continued support of the Demand Flexibility Service is clearly shown by the response to the two live events called by the ESO to balance the electricity network on 29 November and 1 December. Across both events participants delivered an average of 497MWh across each hour and a half session – enough to power nearly 1.5 million homes across the duration of each event.
The service for winter 23/24 has introduced ‘within day’ as well as ‘day ahead’ test notifications, to ask consumer households and businesses to change their electricity usages at short notice than last year.
The ESO will hold further test events until the end of March when this year’s service will come to a close.
Claire Dykta, ESO Director of Markets, said , “The Demand Flexibility Service continues to grow from strength to strength. Households and businesses up and down the country are demonstrating their continued interest and commitment to electricity flexibility and are reaping the rewards for their participation.”