Simple answer : no. Even at massive scale where everyone did it, the tiny, tiny differences in power consumption wouldn't be a rounding error in power generation.
Power stations are built to supply x amount of energy for y time. They aren't like a car engine where switching off the air-con makes a noticeable difference.
This kind of meme gets going because of the campaign to switch appliances off at the wall, thinking it is going to make some type of differences. Every analysis I have ever seen is that (1) the difference is so small it makes no difference and (2) whatever minute drop in demand is found will quickly be used up in industrial users expanding consumption into the lower demand period. Just running one arc-furnace or aluminium smelter for 1 hour longer is going to negate most domestic level fine shavings like switching the TV off at the wall.
Mostly this stuff is promoted to make people feel like they personally are involved and making a difference.
Power stations are built to supply x amount of energy for y time. They aren't like a car engine where switching off the air-con makes a noticeable difference.
This kind of meme gets going because of the campaign to switch appliances off at the wall, thinking it is going to make some type of differences. Every analysis I have ever seen is that (1) the difference is so small it makes no difference and (2) whatever minute drop in demand is found will quickly be used up in industrial users expanding consumption into the lower demand period. Just running one arc-furnace or aluminium smelter for 1 hour longer is going to negate most domestic level fine shavings like switching the TV off at the wall.
Mostly this stuff is promoted to make people feel like they personally are involved and making a difference.
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