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British Gas considers free-power Saturdays

British Gas could offer households free power on Saturdays from early next year, it emerged after parent company Centrica published half-year financial results on Wednesday.

The tariff under consideration is intended to cut weekday demand peaks by encouraging customers to use electricity-hungry appliances, such as washing machines, at the weekend.

Centrica has already introduced the concept of free-power Saturdays in the US, through retail arm Direct Energy.

Customers would need a smart meter to take up the tariff. British Gas has installed more than 1 million smart meters for UK homes and businesses.

Sam Laidlaw, chief executive of Centrica, told the Financial Times: “We need to get more smart meters in the UK, and if it [free power days] does come to the UK it will be at least six months.”