ESO reports 800MWh demand reduction from winter pilots

National Grid electricity system operator (ESO) has released the first data from its demand flexibility service pilots – reporting 780 megawatt hour (MWh) of consumption avoided across the first five tests.

The ESO said the first two tests, at the start of November, had exceeded expectations, with consumers overdelivering by 50% in the debut event and 35% in the follow-up.

More than one million households have now signed up to participate, with 26 providers now on board.

The ESO said that as new providers have signed up to join the service in recent weeks it expects participation will continue to grow.

It stressed that while tests will continue to run throughout the winter, the demand flexibility service remains a live option for the ESO’s control room to use if needed.

Craig Dyke, head of National Control at the ESO, said: “Delivering the first of the demand flexibility service test events is a major milestone in the evolution of consumer flexibility in the UK. This service successfully proves that consumers up and down the country are standing by to get involved in flexibility solutions. These test results show that if called upon this service will help the ESO balance the national electricity network this winter and is a valuable addition to the ESO’s operational tools.”

The tests in detail:

Test One (5-6pm on Tuesday 15 November)

• Four companies participated in the first planned test event – Octopus, Drax, Eon Next and Flexitricity.
• The volume accepted for the period between 5pm and 5.30pm was 74.31 MW and for the period between 5.30pm and 6pm was 77.49 MW.
• These four providers submitted bids ahead of the event to provide a total of 75.9MWh across the test.
• They provided a total of 125.6MWh across the hour, a 58% increase on the volumes procured.
• The maximum accepted price for the assessment was £3,000 for a total cost of £227,697.26 between the two periods.
• Due to over-delivery, the actual cost for the demand reduction, considering measurements received from participants, adds up to £363,000.00 across the two periods.

Test Two (5.30-6.30pm on Tuesday 22 November)

• A total of 13 providers participated in the test, with the ESO procuring a total of 139.7MWh -CUBUK Ltd, Drax, Engie, Eon Next, EvDOTEnergy, Flextricity, GridBeyond, Oaktree Power, Octopus, Orange Power, Perse Technology, VpowerU8lectric, Zenobe
• This volume was procured at the Guaranteed Acceptance Price of £3,000MWh, resulting in an anticipated cost of £419,161.51.
• The participants provided a total of 188.6 MWh across the test, a 35% increase on the volumes procured.
• Due to over-delivery, the actual cost for the demand reduction, considering measurements received from participants, adds up to £567,390.00 across the two periods.

Test Three (5.30-6.30pm on Wednesday 30 November)

• A total of 13 providers participated in the test, with the ESO procuring a total of 157.88MWh.
• Anticipated cost of £473,656.31.

Test Four (5-6pm on Thursday 1 December)

• A total of 14 providers participated in the test, with the ESO procuring a total of 168.24MWh.
• Anticipated cost of £504,734.58.

Test Five (5-7pm on Monday 12 December)

• A total of 14 providers participated in the test, with the ESO procuring an average of 152.45MWh across this two hour test.
• Anticipated cost of £914,661.33.