equiwatt announced on 12 December 2024 that it has launched PowerSmart events, its route for households to take part in the National Electricity System Operator's Demand Flexibility Service (DFS), alongside a set of new app features1. The company said the DFS is relaunching for the third time this winter1.
The DFS is described by equiwatt as "a national initiative run by NESO (National Electricity System Operator)" whose "goal is to reduce electricity consumption during peak times to help balance supply and demand on the energy grid"1. equiwatt states it is an approved provider, so households can take part in DFS events through it regardless of their energy supplier, provided they have a working smart meter with 30 minute readings1. The Demand Flexibility Service explained page sets out how these events work, and there is separate guidance on joining a demand flexibility service without a smart meter.
"We're thrilled to share some exciting updates to the equiwatt app as well as let you know about the launch of PowerSmart events"
The new app features are multi-event notifications, which show multiple scheduled events on the app home page; an expanded reward catalogue of "over 30+ eGift cards"; a spot prize competition in which each event a household takes part in increases its chances of a reward; and automations for smart devices, now available to all users rather than a subset1. On automations, equiwatt says Tado smart thermostats can lower heating by 5°C automatically for the duration of an event, electric vehicles can pause charging temporarily through integrations with Smartcar and Zaptec chargers, and TP-Link Kasa smart plugs can switch devices off for an event and back on at the end1. Open API and Webhooks and IFTTT Applets are also listed for custom automations and notifications1.
| Feature | What equiwatt says it does |
|---|---|
| Multi-event notifications | Scheduled events shown on the app home page1 |
| Rewards | Over 30 eGift cards to choose from1 |
| Spot prize competition | Each event entered increases chances of a surprise reward1 |
| Tado thermostats | Lower heating by 5°C automatically for the event duration1 |
| Electric vehicles | Pause charging temporarily via Smartcar and Zaptec integrations1 |
| Smart plugs | Switch devices off for the event and back on at the end via TP-Link Kasa1 |
Participation runs through the equiwatt app: users opt in to PowerSmart events using the green button on the home screen, then reduce energy use during the event to earn points1. Points are redeemable for gifts1. equiwatt has not reported the points value per event, the length of individual events or the size of the spot prizes.
Why it matters for households
DFS events pay households for shifting electricity use away from peak periods, so the practical value depends on what a home can flex and how it is rewarded. equiwatt's model is points redeemable for eGift cards rather than a direct bill credit, and it is open to any supplier's customers with a working smart meter taking 30 minute readings1. The automation features matter for energy independence because they let devices such as a thermostat, an EV charger or a plug act during an event without someone being at home to switch them off, which is often the difference between signing up and actually delivering a reduction. Households weighing this against supplier-run schemes can compare the two on the equiwatt vs supplier flexibility schemes page, and the wider landscape of household flexibility and reward schemes covers how these payments are structured. For EV owners, smart charging, flexibility services and reward schemes explains how charging can be paused or shifted. Whether the sums add up for a particular home is covered in is the Demand Flexibility Service worth it, and equiwatt's own reward arrangements are set out in equiwatt: flexibility rewards for households.
What happens next
equiwatt says it will share more updates "in the coming months" but gives no dates1. No event dates, event windows or reward values for the current winter are given in the announcement1.