Major energy supplier giving away FREE electricity and £12,000 cash during this week’s solar eclipse

A MAJOR energy supplier is giving away FREE electricity and £12,000 cash during this week’s solar eclipse. On Wednesday, August 12, Britain is set to see its fullest solar eclipse for the next 54 years, with over 90% of the sun set to be obscured by the moon. To celebrate the major lunar event, Octopus Energy is giving households the chance to cut their bills. Families who cut back on energy usage between 6pm and 8pm on Wednesday – when the eclipse will be at its darkest – will earn free electricity the following weekend. Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! Those who use less electricity than usual in that time will get one hour of free electricity on Sunday August 16. You must be signed up to Octopus’ rewards programme, Octoplus, and signed up to Octopus’s Savings Sessions to take part. Octopus is also hosting an eclipse solar competition for the chance to get free solar panels installed in your home – or £12,000 in cash. To be in with a chance to win, you must share a photo on Instagram, Facebook, X, or Bluesky showing what you did during the eclipse instead of being inside at home. Then tag @OctopusEnergy and include the hashtag #OctoEclipse in the post caption. Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, chief customer officer at Octopus Energy, said: “Many of us will be looking up at the sky on Wednesday evening to experience this once-in-a-generation event. Most read in Money “But as the Sun disappears, so will some of Britain’s solar generation, just as demand peaks. “By shifting everyday tasks like the washing machine or dishwasher until later, households can help reduce the need for gas power stations – and earn rewards for doing their bit.” Comment now