A two gigawatt power drop - the equivalent of 200 million lightbulbs being turned off - was reported as millions of people switched from what they were doing to watch the Queen’s funeral today.
Energy usage gradually increased by another 500 megawatts over the course of the ceremony as people started to resume their normal activities - such as putting on the kettle, according to the National Grid.
But, during the two-minute silence, energy levels plummeted again, by 500 megawatts, as people stopped what they were doing.
The power drop came as the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II had been expected to be the biggest TV event since Princess Diana’s service 25 years ago.
Meanwhile thousands of mourners had been lining the streets of London for hours – some, in fact, for days – for the Queen’s funeral procession through London on Monday morning. And when the moment came – when she was pulled past them in an oak coffin on the state gun carriage of the Royal Navy by 142 sailors – they were unable to stop their emotions showing.
A National Grid spokesperson said: “At around 10.30am people stopped what they were doing, hoovering or whatever, to turn on the television which uses a lot less energy.
“It stayed around that level at the start of the funeral, but picked up another 500 megawatts as the ceremony went on because people will have got up from their seats to put the kettle on.
“They then dropped again during the two minute silence, when everyone stopped what they were doing.
“After that it picked back up to normal levels.”
The spokesperson added: “Demand was right around where are expectations were.”
