Posted on 09/08/2022 9:15:19 AM PDT by EBH
For the time ever, Xcel Energy locked the smart thermostats of thousands of Colorado customers on Tuesday because of what it called an energy emergency.
Xcel started a program six years ago, called the AC Rewards program, in which customers get rebates in exchange for allowing Xcel to adjust their thermostat on the hottest summer days to ease strain on the electrical grid. Participating customers need to sign up for the program, and about 22,200 have done that in Colorado.
Tuesday was the first time that Xcel locked those thermostats, a company spokesperson said.
The grid experienced an energy emergency that day, due to high temperatures and a unit at a power plant that went offline. The company was not selling energy out of state, Xcel said.
Xcel customers who have certain types of smart thermostats can opt into the AC Rewards Program. They get a onetime $100 enrollment bill credit and $25 every year they participate in the program.
“We understand the need to keep cool on hot summer days and work hard to provide our customers with the energy they rely on," Xcel said in a statement provided to 9NEWS. "Our customers have a choice to participate in this voluntary program that helps them manage energy demands while receiving cash for their involvement."
Xcel says on its website that "control events" – when Xcel makes adjustments to the thermostats of participating customers – can happen at anytime during the summer.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
$100 plus $25 / year isn’t nearly enough for that risk.
Hello...Xcel Customer Service?
Yes
Yeah...can I get an advance on my $25 participation reward? I need a fix REAL bad.
And, some weed.
$25 a year is not enough to incent me to give a utility total control over my thermostat.
Right up there with smart tvs and gaming consoles being able to see and hear what’s going on in your home.
Big bro is already here.
But I do love my smart thermostat.
Not only does it automatically cool down the house at night and warm it back up in the morning. But it’s linked into Google Home and I can just say “Hey Google, lower the thermostate a degree”.
It’s magic!
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” - Authur C. Clarke
What are these people....high or something??
And these people were dumb enough to sign up and allow these turds to control their thermostat
Way too trusting.
I doesn’t say just how hot the utility company allowed it to get in their homes.
And when everyone or a large pe4centage of people will be prisoners to electric vehicles, control of the people will be made that much easier. Powers that be can shut down peoples’ ability for mobility just as they’re doing to their ability to stay cool.
$100 plus $25 / year isn’t nearly enough for that risk.
Hey Google, lower the thermostat a degree.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Dave.”
There will be more “emergencies” declared all the time. It’s how they control us. Declare an emergency, obtain exceptional powers over the folks, and that power cannot be contested.
Thermostats are fairly cheap at home depot and lowes......and easy to install.......that smart thermostat would be in my driveway smashed into oblivion by my 3 lbs. baby sledge hammer.
Just got a “smart” thermometer (in California where we are suffering endless days over 100 degrees- and the fragile electrical grid can barely keep up).
Son-in-law was able to make sure it wasn’t hooked up to any outside agencies that could control it.
I have a feeling we’ll all be forced into this at some point.
“Right up there with smart tvs and gaming consoles being able to see and hear what’s going on in your home.”
Actually, when your local utility company controls your thermostats that is beyond info gathering.
Many if not most Californicator homes in PG&E’s control, have smart meters. PG&E can use them to shut off our power when one of their secret math calculations tells them to shut off your/our power.
> “Hey Google”
What’s the essential reason that the processing for this has to be done by an unknown server in an unknown place owned by a place like Alphabet, who suppresses search results under command of FBI and CIA?
That’s a long and dubious signal chain!
Wouldn’t you rather just say “thermostat, lower it a degree” and have it all happen in your house?
Wouldn’t that be more advanced?
These thermostats will be MANDATED by politicians everywhere because it fulfills their religious objective - to control our energy.
“Have a SMART thermostat? Might want to rethink that.”
9/1/2022. Posted and discussed.
Rewards program enrollees only.
Power companies have been at this game a LONG time. I remember 30 years ago the power company would ‘offer’ some kind of discount on your bill if you’d let them install an additional ‘compressor controller’ on your outdoor unit that was probably SCADA controlled over the power lines.
In effect, they’d pulse out that signal over the power lines and any of their devices would shut off power to your AC compressor only. Fans still ran, indoor fans ran, but no cooling - the biggest power drain.
They’re just using technology as a cheaper alternative to the manpower-intensive operation to install that outdoor unit disabler....
IMO, as a public utility that gives all sorts of break to big businesses and huge drains, my wanting to get power for AC that I’m willing to pay for is THEIR problem. IOW, I’d never allow them to install anything they can control if I can help it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.