The organisers of a protest called Big Power Switch Off have warned more protests will continue to take place until action is taken to reduce rising energy costs.
The first Big Power Off took place on Sunday 10 April where homeowners across the UK collectively switched off their power for 10 minutes at 10pm.
Energy price rises this month meant that bills have risen by 54% for millions of households, and the protest is designed to get the attention of the government and energy companies to force them to lower costs.
Organiser Karen Brady, who has promoted the campaign on Twitter, said the 10-minute blackout would “impact on energy and shareholders profit”, and show Downing Street that “we can organise legal silent collective action protest at short notice”.
In response, a National Grid denied the switch off had a discernible impact on the electricity system on Sunday night.
A spokesperson said: "Our highly experienced and skilled control room engineers are accustomed to using various tools to manage any sudden fall or rise in demand to ensure a secure and reliable electricity supply for businesses and consumers every second of every day."
When is the Next Big Power Switch Off?
Some people are now calling for the 'big power off' to become a weekly blackout, with the next one scheduled for Sunday 16 April at 19:00. This is designed to coincide with parliament returning from recess the following week.
Advocates are hoping that a weekly power drop every Sunday could bring greater attention to people’s struggle to pay their growing energy bills.
If you’re finding it hard to pay rising energy bills, we've put together an eight-point plan of energy saving tips to help you navigate the energy crisis and lower your heating bills.
