People here are turning to this:
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 ...
Totally foreseeable, people who installed them must be crazy. Electric cars will be next.
People here are turning to this:
> smart meters. PG&E can use them to shut off our power
I would think that all remote-read (”cell” data connection) meters have had remote shutoff the whole time.
There are legitimate uses for that. Like if you don’t pay your bill.
Try to have a plan B.
“Right up there with smart tvs and gaming consoles being able to see and hear what’s going on in your home.”
Same with the computer or whatever device you are using tommake that post.
I have the greatest enthusiasm for the mission
Turn on a lamp with a 100w bulb next to the thermostat. You’ll find it’s not a smart as they say.
a manual thermostat and some wire still works...
“Have a SMART thermostat? Might want to rethink that.”
I have one, but I also studied the wiring and can bypass it when needed.
“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”.”
We recently went on a three week vacation. While waiting for our bags to be unloaded I reset the thermostat back to the normal schedule.
When we got home a nice comfy 73.
Several difficulties with that.
Thermostats don’t normally come with voice recognition.
And even if they did, they wouldn’t have 4 speaker/microphones strategically placed around the house.
And you wouldn’t want a set of speaker/microphones for every smart device.
While it’s true that alphabet could search their records and know what my heating/AC habits are, who are they going to sell that too? Electric companies already know the power usage.
Electric companies can’t have Google modify my temperatures without my permission. At least not yet. And if they ever do, I can just change the password to the smart device using the device app and cut google out of the loop.
“allowed it to get in their homes.”
Posted above. Magic
Correct. Once they were able to shut down the entire world over a bad cold, they perceived that they could declare anything an emergency and the vast majority of sheep would nod their heads and say "baaaa".
Tuesday was the first time that Xcel locked those thermostats, a company spokesperson said.
—
“Lock this!”
Disconnects wire leads from thermostat and “short wires” connection to start the A/C.
Those customers signed an agreement to let the utility companies do this in exchange for a small amount of compensation.
They probably bought he smart thermostat from the utility company. Or the Utility povided it free. Or they gave the utility company the access codes to the smart thermostat.
EBH :" Have a SMART thermostat? Might want to rethink that."
(From the news source):" 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. "
But it’s linked into Google Home and I can just say “Hey Google, lower the thermostate a degree”.
—
“I’m sorry, Dave. I afraid I can’t do that.”
Does anyone know whether the utilities have armed their gestapo troops?
“Thermostats don’t normally come with voice recognition.
And even if they did, they wouldn’t have 4 speaker/microphones strategically placed around the house.”
Alexa and Google. Thermostats do not need voice recognition.
“when everyone or a large percentage 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.”
My 80 something wife is a conservative, who normally doesn’t believe that the left wants to control everything.
As I have posted here about the reality of a fleet/armada of EV’s on our culdesac, and them not showing up to go to work or whatever since our shortage of power, has been a wake up call for her.
Last night shortly before 10 pm, PG&E sent out/phoned their customers, it was basically an all clear re any power shortages.
We wondered why at that time of the day.
Maybe it was a signal to the EV owners to start recharging their vehicles.
Is it possible to unsign up once you have signed up previously?
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