System operator highlights demand flexibility service success

Nearly 2 million businesses and households signed up to take part in the system operator’s Demand Flexibility Service (DFS) last winter, according to new figures.

The balancing tool was used 44 times last winter at a cost of £1.2m, and successfully reduced or shifted power consumption by 3,917.7 MWh, the equivalent of powering 12.7m homes for an hour. The previous year the cost was £11.9m for 16 events.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) said the figures show consumer-led flexibility has become a “successful and cost-effective way” of balancing Britain’s energy network compared to alternative actions such as asking gas power stations to turn on or buying more power via interconnectors.

Consumers who sign up for the DFS receive notifications from their electricity supplier/aggregator on days when the service is put into action.

They let households and businesses know the peak time, usually between 4 and 7 pm, and ask if they can reduce their energy use during this period. 28 registered service providers have participated in the service since its original launch.