Here is a bit of energy trivia we could not resist. During EURO 2024, when England played their semi-final against the Netherlands, the National Grid recorded a genuine spike in electricity demand the moment the half-time whistle went.
The 1GW kettle moment
According to the National Grid ESO, demand jumped by around 1GW at half-time. The likely culprit is exactly what you would guess: thousands of people across the country getting up at the same moment to put the kettle on, open the fridge, and flick the lights on in the kitchen. All at once, all in the same fifteen minutes.
It is a brilliant little snapshot of how a whole nation’s habits move together, and it is the kind of thing the grid has to plan for around big televised moments.
The serious point underneath the fun
Behind the novelty is something that matters for businesses. Energy costs are not just about the unit rate you agree. They are shaped by demand, and demand is shaped by timing. When everyone wants power at once, the system works harder and the cost of supplying that power goes up.
For a business, that is why things like peak-time pricing and capacity charges exist, and why when you use energy can matter as much as how much you use. It is one of the quieter ways a bill creeps up without anyone noticing.
What it means for you
You do not need to watch the grid like a hawk. But it is a reminder that there is more to an energy bill than the headline rate, and that the businesses paying a fair price are usually the ones who have had someone look at the whole picture, not just the number on the front page.
That is what we do across Devon and Cornwall, on energy, water and broadband. We’re paid by the supplier when you switch, never by you.
What to do this week
If your energy bill has crept up and you are not sure why, it is worth a proper look. Upload your latest bill at /upload-bill/ and we will break it down for free and tell you whether you are paying a fair rate, usually back to you the same day.