Major energy supplier to give away 80 hours of FREE electricity from next week – but you need to sign up now
A MAJOR energy supplier is handing out a whopping 80 hours of free electricity, but you’ll need to act fast to get it.
EDF is bringing back its popular Sunday Saver challenge this summer, offering customers a chance to slash their bills by earning free electricity.
The offer kicks off on Monday, June 2 and runs throughout the month, giving households the chance to rack up free power to use.
Five Sundays of up to 16 hours of free electricity will be up for grabs.
That’s a total of 80 hours of free electricity over the two month period.
The dates include June 15, June 22 and June 29, followed by July 6 and July 13.
The scheme is open to customers now, but you must sign up before 11.59pm on Sunday, June 1 to take part.
How it works
To qualify, you’ll need a smart meter that sends readings to EDF every 30 minutes.
Then it’s all about shifting your electricity use away from peak times which are between 4pm and 7pm on weekdays.
The more energy you save during those hours, the more free electricity you’ll earn to use on Sunday.
Some customers could pocket up to 16 hours of free energy per week, credited directly to their account.
EDF’s Retail Director, Rich Hughes, said: “We launched Sunday Saver to help customers save cash and carbon, all while contributing to a more sustainable energy system.
“We’re thrilled that over 154,000 customers have already benefited from free electricity as a reward for adjusting their daily usage habits and helping to ease the strain on the electricity grid during peak times.”
The initiative has already dished out over eight million free hours of electricity and helped customers save a combined £2million.
EDF is the only energy supplier offering five Sundays of free electricity in June and July, making this one of the most generous energy-saving challenges on the market.
Customers who’ve taken part in the past are full of praise.
One commented online: “I love EDF, I get loads of free electric, sometimes I’ve had whole days of free power.”
Once signed up, participants can track their progress and energy usage through EDF’s Energy Hub via their MyAccount dashboard.
The provider says that households using the Energy Hub can save up to £41 a year just by making smarter decisions around their electricity use – and cut down on carbon emissions at the same time.
This latest challenge from EDF is part of a wider push from energy companies to get customers using power more flexibly.
How does it compare?
While EDF’s Sunday Saver is one of the most generous, other suppliers are offering perks too.
E.ON Next gives away free electricity on every bank holiday to customers on its Pledge tariff, and Ovo Energy offers two free hours of electricity every week through its rewards programme, Ovo Beyond.
Meanwhile, Scottish Power and Octopus Energy also run discount or cashback schemes tied to smart meter usage.
But if you’re looking to bag multiple full days of free electricity this summer, EDF’s Sunday Saver is your best bet.
How do I calculate my energy bill?
BELOW we reveal how you can calculate your own energy bill.
To calculate how much you pay for your energy bill, you must find out your unit rate for gas and electricity and the standing charge for each fuel type.
The unit rate will usually be shown on your bill in p/kWh.The standing charge is a daily charge that is paid 365 days of the year – irrespective of whether or not you use any gas or electricity.
You will then need to note down your own annual energy usage from a previous bill.
Once you have these details, you can work out your gas and electricity costs separately.
Multiply your usage in kWh by the unit rate cost in p/kWh for the corresponding fuel type – this will give you your usage costs.
You’ll then need to multiply each standing charge by 365 and add this figure to the totals for your usage – this will then give you your annual costs.
Divide this figure by 12, and you’ll be able to determine how much you should expect to pay each month from April 1.
Energy bill to drop
Millions of households are set to save money this summer, as the energy price cap drops from £1,849 to £1,720.
The cut, which takes effect from July, means a typical household could save around £129 a year, or roughly 7%.
Over 22million homes on standard variable tariffs will be directly affected by the drop, which is reviewed by Ofgem every three months.
Experts at Cornwall Insight had accurately predicted the cut, which will offer some much-needed relief as energy costs remain a major concern for many.
Under the new cap, electricity will cost around 25.73p per kWh, with a daily standing charge of 51.37p. However, the rates you pay may vary depending on your region, as charges are set locally.
It’s also worth noting the price cap limits the unit rates suppliers can charge — not your total bill. So if you use more energy, you’ll still pay more.
The current cap of £1,849 runs until the end of June, so if you’re shopping around, now’s a good time to compare deals.
You can check which suppliers which suppliers are offering the best deals.
If you are struggling with costs then you can take action as you could be missing out on free boilers and energy bill discounts.
You may also be able to get a free energy grant to help you with your bills.
