EDF is offering customers the chance to receive up to 16 hours of complimentary electricity starting this weekend. Through its Sunday Saver initiative, the energy company rewards users who shift their energy consumption away from peak hours during weekdays, typically occurring between 4pm and 7pm, Monday to Friday.
By reducing energy usage compared to their usual levels, customers can earn between four and 16 hours of free electricity to use on the following Sunday. Those who cut consumption by 5% get four hours free, while a 20% reduction earns eight hours, a 35% decrease results in twelve hours, and a 50% reduction grants 16 hours of free electricity.
To participate in the Sunday Saver program, customers must manually sign up through their EDF accounts and have a smart meter that sends readings every 30 minutes to EDF. Rich Hughes, EDF’s Director of Retail, emphasized the initiative’s goal of helping customers save money and reduce carbon emissions while supporting a sustainable energy system. Over 154,000 customers have already benefited from the free electricity rewards by adjusting their daily energy habits.
In other news, energy bills are expected to rise this winter, with the Ofgem price cap increasing from £1,720 to £1,755 for a typical dual fuel household paying by direct debit. The updated price cap will be effective from October 1 to December 31 for those on standard variable rate tariffs. Despite the price cap, energy bills are based on actual consumption levels including gas and electricity usage. The cap sets limits on the charges for gas and electricity units, as well as fixed daily standing charges for connection to the energy network. Ofgem bases its calculations on an average household consuming 2,700 kWh of electricity and 11,500 kWh of gas annually.