Operators are used to coping with falls and surges in demand, for instance, during television programmes watched by millions. It is likely that the National Grid will attempt to manage demand during the campaign, putting power stations on and offline. One woman tweeted that she would simply go to bed early and not switch back on at all. The blackout is planned to last until 10.10pm, at which point people will turn their devices back on - creating a surge in demand. READ MORE: How much four appliances cost to run even when you're not using them To protect the grid, power stations will be temporarily disconnected or issued notices to attenuate their output.'

This short power off will cause an imbalance on the National Grid, where consumption becomes lower than predicted and therefore the electrical supply is too great. The idea is that, if it won't put you at risk, you switch off all of your electrical appliances, lights, or switch off at the breakers for 10 minutes. One Facebook post that has been widely shared reads: 'Tonight is the night of the big power-off. It has been billed as a 'non-partisan action protest' and is trending on Twitter with more than 10,000 tweets. The move is designed to highlight the cost of living crisis, exacerbated by spiralling energy bills.

A campaign has been launched urging people to turn off all electrical items in their homes for ten minutes at 10pm - as long as it is safe. Residents across the country are being urged to switch off their lights and televisions tonight for the 'Big Power Off'.

Power switch on off