National Grid to ask British families to cut energy use again tomorrow evening trends now

Thousands of households will be asked to slash their electricity usage for a second day in a row, the National Grid has announced, as Britain struggles to cope with soaring demand on one of the coldest days of the year. 

The move comes as the power operator activated its Demand Flexibility Service (DFS) for the first time tonight, which rewards people for cutting power between 5pm and 6pm. 

Bosses said the initiative could run again on Tuesday evening between 4.30pm and 6pm, however it is yet to be confirmed by the National Grid Electricity System Operator.

The initiative aims to avert sweeping winter blackouts across the UK amid an energy crisis, which deepened after freezing weather and bad conditions for wind turbines left the grid with less supply to meet demand. 

More than a million households have already signed up to the measure, with 26 energy suppliers, including British Gas, EDF, Eon and Octopus Energy participating. It will see families being paid between £10 and £20 to slash their electricity usage.

But critics have condemned the decision to open it to only the 29.5million smart meter users, which means just under half the population is ineligible. While families who have 'been waiting months' for the energy-saving tech to be installed have tonight said they are being 'punished' by energy giants. 

Expressing their fury online, one smart meter asked told Octopus Energy: 'I've been trying to get a smart meter installed for 6 months and you can't/won't. Because of that I can't get this peak time discount. How is that fair?!'

Paul Robbins, 70, of Swindon, Wiltshire, had hoped to take part in the scheme but claims he couldn't find anyway of signing up with his provider, British Gas. 

The retired radio engineer branded the scheme a 'joke' and said: 'This is a really badly thought out idea. We have a smart meter and a British Gas account but nowhere on the website or app does it make any mention at all of this scheme. 

'The whole thing is a joke. It's something that's government led and the industry is now scrambling to work out to do it. 

'They are paying lip service but really haven't worked out how to make it work. I've got bored of the whole thing. It just doesn't work.'

But Julie Thomas, who is with OVO energy, said she will be taking part in the scheme, adding: 'This will be the third or fourth I've taken part in via OVO. I failed two but on the last one I saved £3.31 over two hours. It can work.'

Critics earlier branded the energy-cutting scheme a 'gimmick', with experts claiming it is a way to 'penalise' those without controversial smart meters.   

Craig Dyke, who is in charge of the project, has refused to rule out using the 'world-leading' scheme every winter, saying it will 'drive forward towards net zero'. Asked if it could become a feature of British life each winter, Mr Dyke told the BBC: 'It's something we strongly believe in. This is the start of something much, much bigger'.

The comments drew criticism from industry leaders, with supply chain expert Richard Bartlett saying: 'The blackout scheme just seems like another gimmick. I can't see how it's going to work. 

'It's just the Government's way of rolling through situations without tackling the issue'. 

Mr Bartlett said he is worried about the number of people who may be without heating. He added: 'The savings that it is going to amount to doesn't seem worth the amount of work involved. I can't see myself doing it and I can't see many others doing it either.'

Households could receive payments of up to £20 if they don't use ovens, washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, games consoles or decide not to charge cars during the hour.

But the scheme relies on users having a smart meter, a device that automatically transmits your energy usage to your provider every 30 minutes. 

There have been many complaints about the devices, ranging from them logging inaccurate readings that lead to inflated bills to stopping working altogether. 

Wireless technology expert Nick Hunn told MailOnline: 'If it has an impact, then expect to see a lot more events like this, as it effectively lets suppliers increase costs for users without smart meters. 

'It's a very similar approach to what they've been doing by moving customers to prepay meters, i.e. penalising the ones who don't do what the suppliers want. 

'Given the suppliers have failed dismally to meet their smart meter-fitting obligations, they may see this as a way of offsetting their penalties by blaming customers for not have signed up. 

'I suspect it would be subject to legal challenge, as in most cases, it's not the customer's fault that they've not had a smart meter fitted yet, so this is a selective discount. We're still barely at the halfway point for compliant smart meters being installed'.

It came as energy watchdog Ofgem said it is to review the checks and balances energy firms have around placing customers on pre-payment meters, warning it will take further legal action if it finds they are not taking due care.

In a blog, its chief executive Jonathan Brearley said he is concerned about the 'sharp growth in households struggling to pay their bills being switched over to pre-payment meters, sometimes without their even knowing about it, leaving them without heating'.

It follows Business Secretary Grant Shapps's demand over the weekend that energy suppliers stop forcing financially-stretched households to switch to pre-payment meters. He also vowed to 'name and shame' the worst offenders.

Ahead of an urgent question in the Commons this afternoon, the Prime Minister's spokesman said: 'This is an issue of concern. He [Rishi Sunak] welcomes the fact that Ofgem have said they will look into this. You will know it is something that the Business Secretary has said that the government is keeping a close eye on and we will not hesitate in naming and shaming any suppliers that aren't following the rules.

'We will await Ofgem's work but in the meantime we will be clear that providers need to be treating those who are struggling fairly and lending a sympathetic ear to those who are struggling. We want to see greater efforts from suppliers to help consumers in payment difficulties and Ofgem's rules already make that clear.'

It is the first time National Grid has implemented the DFS since it was announced last November, as the UK prepares for freezing temperatures this week. 

Craig Dyke, head of National Control at National Grid ESO, suggested the measure could become a regular part of the UK winter. 

He said: 'It is something we strongly believe in. It provides flexibility for the system and the consumer. We see this as a growing market. We see this as a world-leading step forward into a space where we can only grow and drive forward towards net zero'.

Participants in the Demand Flexibility Service will receive money off their bills if as they voluntarily reduce their usage between 5pm and 6pm.

It is the first time National Grid has implemented its DFS scheme since it was first announced last November, as the UK prepares for freezing temperatures this week.

In a further sign of the squeeze on supply, the company is preparing to use its back-up coal plants at the Drax power station in North Yorkshire and West Burton in Nottinghamshire today.