(Bloomberg) -- Households in Britain will be paid to use less electricity during times of peak demand as National Grid Plc and Octopus Energy Ltd. try to ensure a steady supply of power around the clock.

Octopus’s 1.4 million smart-meter customers will receive discounts on their bills if they reduce power consumption below usual levels during two-hour windows at key periods this winter. The trial, from Feb. 11 to March 31, will help find out whether shifting home-energy demand can help balance the power grid and reduce costs.

Demand is set to double by 2050 as sectors such as transportation, industry and home heating electrify. National Grid needs to find ways to make sure that domestic needs aren’t concentrated into an evening super-peak when everyone finishes work, plugs in their electric vehicle and starts using appliances at home.

“This trial will provide valuable insight into how suppliers may be able to utilize domestic flexibility to help reduce stress on the system during high demand, lower balancing costs and deliver consumer benefits,” said Isabelle Haigh, Head of National Control at National Grid, which operates the U.K.’s electricity system.

The balancing market is where the grid operator fine-tunes supply and demand. National Grid is reviewing how to balance those after a string of paying high prices to power stations for electricity.

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