Thousands of Xcel customers locked out of thermostats during ‘energy emergency’
https://t.co/QpZLxRBCoy
— SemperFidelity (@semper_fidelity) September 1, 2022
Posted on 09/01/2022 7:36:10 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
For many Americans, the summer of 2022 has been a blistering hot and humid miserable existence. It’s just one of those years when one truly appreciates the comfort provided by something as simple as an air conditioning unit. How did we live without them?
But for some 22,000 Xcel Energy customers in Colorado who wanted to be a little more comfortable on Tuesday when the thermometer was pegged at 90+ degrees, a bizarre message flashed on their thermostats indicating they’d lost the ability to control the temperature in their own homes.
According to KMGH-TV, “Energy Emergency” was part of the message that flashed on thermostats as temperatures skyrocketed and Xcel customers desperately tried to crank the A/C.
“Temperature locked temporarily during energy emergency. Due to a rare energy emergency that may affect the local energy grid, your temperature slider has been changed from 8:00 pm – 8:00 pm because you enrolled in a Community Energy Savings Program,” the full message read.
Thousands of Xcel customers locked out of thermostats during ‘energy emergency’
https://t.co/QpZLxRBCoy— SemperFidelity (@semper_fidelity) September 1, 2022
However, customers enrolled in the otherwise innocent-sounding “program,” like Tony Talarico, had absolutely no idea they could lose full control of the ability to cool down their house during a nasty heat wave.
“Normally, when we see a message like that, we’re able to override it,” Talarico said, according to KMGH-TV. “In this case, we weren’t. So, our thermostat was locked in at 78 or 79.”
“To me, an emergency means there is, you know, life, limb, or, you know, some other danger out there — some, you know, massive wildfires,” Talarico said.
(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...
But you can still charge up your EV...
Reason to keep a spare room air conditioner sitting around.
Don’t install a wifi thermostat!
If we evicted 30 million ILLEGALS, we’d have plenty of water, power, less crime, etc...and be able to spend time outdoors burning calories mowing the lawn and inside cleaning the house, learning to cook real food...etc.
...but we need our time for FB, Pinterest, TikTok, etc...
Same goes for Europe!!!
It appears these folks signed up for some community program and got these t-stats installed Free Of Charge!
LOL - now the utility can shut them off.
Prolly not too hard to swap with a standard t-stat and go back to normal.
This is why you should NEVER accept that “Free Nest Thermostat” offer from your utility company.
At least they are currently given the ability to opt out. I assume that ability will be removed sooner or later.
Isn’t this what they signed up for when they made the deal with the energy company? Allow them to control your home... Tough, you got what you asked for
WiFi is easiest to break - change the password and don't tell your thermostat so it's off the network. But I wouldn't be surprised if it loses the network it will go into jerk mode and not let you cool.
Brother made up an air conditioner he saw on Youtube.
5 gallon painter bucket, small fan, fill with ice. Works like a charm, often still has ice in the morning after running all night.
At your air handler just jump R-Y-G to keep cool.
I have done something similar to that when we lost power after a hurricane. Generator powered.
Or.... Put the thermostat on a shelf and install a regular one. Let the disconnected unit talk to the utility company all it wants.
i wonder if any government agencies, like the local irs had to have their energy locked?
“Don’t install a wifi thermostat!”
Our city council in Longmont is salivating over this. They’re ‘going green’. They are controlled by out of state NGOs and ‘activists’. Of course this is my opinion.
Yep, this is exactly what they signed up for . . . whether they realized it or not. My guess is that they neglected to read the fine print and were lured in by some sort of short-term incentive. At least they can opt out . . . until that option is withdrawn. We’re on a very creepy, insidious track to total control of every aspect of our lives. But the first three months are free!
Just wait until winter, when customers learn that XCEL Energy can declare another energy emergency and shut off their heat.
Can these people not twist 3 wires together in their air handler?
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