A new electricity tariff will make it cheaper to run the washing machine and other appliances at night. But will lower bills come with a fire risk?
A small independent energy firm has launched the UK’s first variable electricity tariff, promising households significantly lower bills if they avoid using power at peak hours and run their appliances overnight.
For years energy experts have suggested that smart tariffs, which price electricity according to the time of day, are the future, as they could help smooth out the peaks in demand currently faced by the National Grid. This week, Hertfordshire-based Green Energy UK launched its Tide tariff which offers exactly that. Initially only available to households in England, the Tide dual-fuel tariff offers three different prices of electricity depending on the time of day.
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If a fire breaks out during the night, whatever the cause, the risk to life is always greater