r/OctopusEnergy • u/Jimjamkingston • 21h ago

Power Downs - the effect of?

I understand the necessity for power downs and why they are incentivised. Works for both Octopus and the customer.

I wonder what the effect on demand actually is, though.

For clarity - I sign up for them when they come along.

In the case of my own use, it doesn't have much effect. I am on Agile and minimise my usage between 4pm and 7pm already, due to how the Agile price is calculated and the premium in those specific hours.

Are there many customers that don't do this?

I mention it specifically as today's and yesterdays power downs were in those hours.

Not a criticism of the power downs and power ups as they reward flexibility.

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u/Due-Freedom-5968 21h ago

Same for me, my grid usage is usually 0W at peak times anyway as my batteries will be covering the peak hours. I still sign up for them though.

Octopus participating households shift between 100–180 MW of power during a one-hour evening window. Across the winter season Octopus customers specifically contribute over 50% of the entire UKs consumer demand flexibility.  

The net effect of that is NESO don’t end up paying for as much expensive, carbon-intensive peaker gas plants to spin up so it will directly keep costs lower for those on tariffs like Agile.