Power Move - spring challenge

Always washing at 30 degrees doesn’t do much for the washing machine. It needs an occasion 60 degree wash to clear out the tubes! I do this when the electricity generation CO2 levels are low, ie when there’s plenty of wind powering the grid.

If you’ve already joined a challenge you should now automatically be added to the next challenge and any future challenges. So you shouldn’t need to remember to join any future challenges to enjoy the benefits of Power Move.

I’ll raise this to the team @GrumpyTrucker 

I’ve had a response from the team:

Potential reasons that a customers wouldn't be auto-enrolled:

• Invalid Meter Read Frequency (non-commuicating meter)
• No Smart Meter
• Incorrect Payment Mechanism (moved to PAYG)
• No longer allowing half-hourly reads

The eligibility criteria of Power Move is applied for auto-enrolment, so it may be that a meter is non-communicating at the point of auto-enrolment, in which case they would not be eligible to auto-enrol onto the next challenge. Customers in this scenario will be sent an invite invitation where they can click through and if their meter has started communicating again, they will have the option to sign up to the next challenge. 

Anyone else finding the hours 6pm to 9pm impractical if you actually cook dinner when you finish work?

The 4pm to 7pm was at least more practical. 

I find this slot easier, working from home.

No lights needed in the evening and I can put my airfryer on 5.30pm.    All I have on 6 til 9pm is my tv

Yes, 6-9 pm means it's taking the whole of my evening out after I am back from work. This means I am moving cooking dinner after 9 so sleep late, wake up without a proper sleep. 

5-8 would have made a bit more sense. Sure summer has more light, but people generally stay with the same times in summer and winter. 

I didn't realise the times had changed 😫 that makes sense for why I'm so massively off so far this month 

This is the first month I am not on track to get the full cashback😕 which is really annoying given that my standing charges are higher than my energy use. Guess someone has to pay for the free EV charging points

Free EV charging points? 

Count your blessings. This time last year, I was on a shared electricity meter with a shop. Yes, you read that right. I was living in a 1 bedroom flat and the shop below me were basically taking the p**i*ss, I could name and shame them but I’m not like that. They weren’t paying their share towards the bill for what they were using. Not even half. The bill was in my name because the shop was unoccupied when i moved there. I put up with this situation for over 2 years but finally moved home because I’d had a gutsful - and this occurred when the cost of living crisis was happening with increased bills. The electric bill was coming to £300 per month and I struggled with this for over 2 years. They were not prepared to help the situation. I moved home and am now paying around £45 per month for electric. So, those muppets were costing me around £250 per month and their contribution towards the bill was pitiful. I also couldn’t do these Power Move challenges because they were using stupid amounts of electricity in the shop 24 hours a day. Rant over. Don’t ever take up tenancy where there is a shared meter.  

It rather depends on what you mean by ‘impractical’. 

This is the reason why Power Move is needed. Most people come home from work, switch things on, start the washing machine and cook dinner. This leads to a nation-wide spike in demand for electricity around 6 PM, which in turn means that more fossil fuels (gas, and even coal on occasion) have to be burnt to generate the power needed to meet the demand. It also means that the power generation companies charge more for electricity consumed during these spikes. By persuading people to limit their demand during the peak hours, OVO are saving a bit which they can pass on to customers who meet the target. It also means a reduction in carbon emissions, which is of course good for the planet. 

The chart shows how much gas and coal has been burnt in Britain since midnight last night to fuel our demand for electricity. If every OVO customer could reduce their usage in the peak period after 6 PM, we could take a big lump off that mountain top.
  

Joke , just got my update @37%.then I saw the times had changed!!!wasn't aware of that little sneaky!! Obviously they have given away too much money so making it impossible for workers to participate now  finish work at 17.30 , starve till 21.00 yes that's gonna happen 

My issue is the lack of transparency from Ovo about the change. Today’s email advising I am not on target to receive a credit was the first time I became aware of the change in times. I’ll be writing to Ovo to suggest they should have communicated the change at the beginning of the month, with an email subject such as “Power Move time changes”.
 

I already do as much as I can to keep my electricity usage to a minimum and am surprised that I’m outside even the lowest rebate tier as I run the washing machine and dishwasher on weekdays prior to 4pm. The spikes between 6-9pm for me would come from cooking dinner and turning the TV on; both of these activities usually occur after 8pm. 

Firedog wrote:

 

The chart shows how much gas and coal has been burnt in Britain since midnight last night to fuel our demand for electricity. If every OVO customer could reduce their usage in the peak period after 6 PM, we could take a big lump off that mountain top.
  

   

Excellent chart and website Firedog - thanks for pointing it out. It really shows what we’re up against. 

I’m finding it much easier and am reaching even lower percentages with the new timeslot.

It suits me better to cook between 5 and 6 than it did to cook either before 4 or after 7.

I’m not sure why some people didn’t notice the change of times, it was there to see in the email telling you about the Spring Power Move, (it’s not summer just yet), as well as on this forum.

• Power Move - spring challenge News

It’s even in bold there, just under the rewards chart:

Why we’ve adjusted the peak times from 4-7pm to 6-9pm.

 

Peak times change throughout the year. During winter they’re between 4-7pm. In the summer months, we use energy slightly later - meaning the peak times are typically later.

I'm sorry if it inconviences some people but I guess that to get a reward you should expect to reschedule your activities.

I gave up with the whole thing ages ago. The saving was a pittance so now I don't bother.

Hey @becca_media, @Ianmh173, @DJ_Kinski 

I double checked with the team that there had been an email that detailed the time change on the spring challenge, and they did confirm emails were sent out with the new time, £ and % on 1st. The email should look a little something like this one below.

I’m sorry you’ve not been on target so far, but there’s still time to bring that % down. I know it’s not easy for everyone, and it’s why the challenge is optional, as it may not work for everyone’s lifestyle, there are a few helpful topics below from others who’ve previously struggled to meet the target, with lots of hints and tips on shifting power outwith the timeslot:

• What's the biggest impact changes I can make to my usage to help me hit my Power Move target? TIPS

Keep us updated with how you get on with the challenge. 

I agree that it is much harder to hit the new Powermove target if you’re a worker finishing at 5pm and then commuting home and arriving just before the new powermove time starts. Almost impossible to cook dinner outside the hours off 6 to 9 

Actually, it’s a piece of cake - you just have to be willing to make the effort.

I’m in the Fire Service and the nature of my Volunteer role with them means I can be getting home at totally random times after any given assignment. Makes it a piece of cake for me to hit targets, but even when I’m off-duty (such as today), I can easily just cruise on until 9pm most of the time or cook prior to that time - and smash the Level 1 target like it’s nothing.

Those who are lazy won’t win - you MUST play the game if you want the prize.

@Abby_OVO Could you contact OVO to make a new system where those who say it's a con and give up because you get “pittance” in return, to arrange it so those who continue with an environmental approach of reducing energy consumption, to have what would have been their Power Move money?

I’m curious to know why the change in peak times wasn’t communicated clearly via email to Powet Move users? The first I became aware was when I received a half monthly target update showing I wouldn’t achieve any of the 3 levels. I’ve already done everything possible to reduce my electricity usage, with Ovo Beyond showing my usage is 38% lower than similar homes. 
 

I usually run the washing machine and dishwasher on weekdays prior to 4pm. I’m now delaying turning the TV on at night and not using the oven until after 9pm, but wonder if I’ll be able to achieve a significant enough shift to get the £10 credit. I’m on benefits due to chronic illness, so every credit really helps. 

Has anyone else tried completing the questionnaire for the new Power Move Flex? I don’t have an electric vehicle so can’t answer the final question as it requires an answer. 
 

If you own an electric vehicle do you charge it at home? 

Please choose an option

Yes

No

Prefer not to sAt

For that question, you can just answer Prefer Not To Say if you’re unable to answer due to not owning an EV. If that doesn’t work, just answer with No.

Hey @DJ_Kinski 

The change was communicated as part of the challenge email at the beginning of the new challenge, I double checked this with the Power Move team directly, you can see an example below of the email.

Abby_OVO wrote:

Hey @becca_media, @Ianmh173, @DJ_Kinski 

 

I double checked with the team that there had been an email that detailed the time change on the spring challenge, and they did confirm emails were sent out with the new time, £ and % on 1st. The email should look a little something like this one below.

 

I’m sorry you’ve not been on target so far, but there’s still time to bring that % down. I know it’s not easy for everyone, and it’s why the challenge is optional, as it may not work for everyone’s lifestyle, there are a few helpful topics below from others who’ve previously struggled to meet the target, with lots of hints and tips on shifting power outwith the timeslot:

 

• What's the biggest impact changes I can make to my usage to help me hit my Power Move target? TIPS

A

• Power Move for low users

C

• Power Move February 2024- Struggling to hit the target

 

Keep us updated with how you get on with the challenge. 

For working people this challenge is impossible- to expect people to wait til9pm to eat after finishing work is just cruel and unusual! I work mainly from home and start at 7:30 am so it’s a no from me but am fortunate I don’t rely on the credit but many will.