Key facts
- Octopus Energy is asking UK customers to reduce electricity consumption during a solar eclipse on Wednesday.
- Customers are advised to avoid using high-demand appliances like washing machines and dishwashers between 6pm and 8pm.
- The eclipse is expected to block up to 95% of the sun, significantly reducing solar power generation.
- This coincides with a heatwave, which is increasing electricity demand for cooling systems.
- Customers participating in the rewards program will receive two free hours of electricity the following weekend.
- Octopus estimates that household flexibility could provide 13 gigawatts of capacity to the electricity system.
Octopus Energy, Great Britain's largest household energy supplier, has urged its customers to reduce their electricity consumption during a solar eclipse expected to block up to 95% of the sun. The company is asking customers to avoid using high-demand appliances like washing machines and dishwashers between 6pm and 8pm on Wednesday.
This appeal comes as the UK faces a heatwave, which is likely to increase demand for electricity for cooling systems, at the same time as the eclipse will significantly reduce solar power generation. Octopus believes that by shifting electricity usage, households can help prevent the need for the National Energy System Operator (Neso) to activate gas-fired power stations to compensate for the lost solar energy.
Incentivizing this behavior, Octopus is offering customers signed up to its rewards program two free hours of electricity to use the following weekend. The company estimates that homes could collectively provide 13 gigawatts of flexible capacity to support the electricity grid.
Analysts at RBC Capital Markets noted that Europe's power system is already under strain due to heatwaves, which have forced nuclear and coal plants to reduce output or shut down because of low river water levels needed for cooling. Droughts have also impacted hydropower reservoirs in Norway. The solar eclipse is projected to wipe out 9.7GW of power production across Europe during its peak, with the UK potentially losing between 700 megawatts and 1.3GW of solar generation, and Spain up to 5GW.
Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, Octopus's chief customer officer, highlighted the timing of the eclipse during peak demand and encouraged customers to help by shifting tasks and earning rewards. Neso has also faced scrutiny regarding its grid management, with whistleblowers alleging cover-ups of energy system instability.