Energy firm EDF Energy is offering free electricity on five March dates in a bid to save households money and help the national grid too.
EDF has announced the return of its Sunday Saver Challenge. This is where the firm offers free hours of electricity on Sundays if you cut your peak-hour usage during the week.
Those who manage to reduce the amount of energy they use between 4pm and 7pm on weekdays will be offered an increasing amount of free electricity each Sunday as a reward.
Households can then benefit from savings by running high energy appliances like washing machines or heating on these free Sunday hours, and EDF benefits by shifting some usage away from peak demand times.
EDF says that those who reduce their energy between 4pm and 7pm by between 5% and 19.9% will get four hours’ free energy the following Sunday from 8am to midday.
Those who cut their usage 20% to 34.9% get 8 hours of free energy on the following Sunday, from 8am to 4pm.
Those who cut their usage 35-49.9% get 12 hours of free energy on the following Sunday, while those who cut their peak usage by 50% or more get 16 free hours, from 8am to midnight.
The saver Sundays will be available on March 2, 19, 16, 23 and 30 for a total of five eligible free energy days.
To be eligible, you need to be an EDF customer and have a smart meter fitted or get one fitted – the smart meter tracks when you use the energy in order to give you the savings.
EDF says that the scheme saves people money and helps the UK hit net zero targets.
It said: “We’re on a mission to help you save cash and carbon while contributing to a more sustainable national electricity grid. That’s why we’ve launched our Sunday Saver challenge!
“Everyone who signs up for the challenge will get a target to shift some of their electricity usage away from peak hours (usually 4pm to 7pm). The more you shift during the week, the more free electricity you can earn. For example, if you shift 50% of your peak usage, you can earn up to 16 free hours to use the following Sunday.
“We’re doing everything we can to help our customers save cash and carbon.
“That’s why we’re offering you free electricity as part of our Sunday Saver challenge. We want to encourage you to shift your electricity usage away from peak hours during the week (usually 4pm to 7pm).
“And by taking some of the strain off the electricity grid at peak times, we’re all helping Britain move towards net zero.”
