Posted on 09/01/2022 6:42:58 AM PDT by george76
22,000 people lost control of temperatures in their homes for hours Tuesday..
DENVER — During the dog days of summer, it's important to keep your home cool. But when thousands of Xcel customers in Colorado tried adjusting their thermostats Tuesday, they learned they had no control over the temperatures in their own homes.
...
Xcel confirmed to Contact Denver7 that 22,000 customers who had signed up for the Colorado AC Rewards program were locked out of their smart thermostats for hours on Tuesday.
"It's a voluntary program. Let's remember that this is something that customers choose to be a part of based on the incentives," said Emmett Romine, vice president of customer solutions and innovation at Xcel.
Customers receive a $100 credit for enrolling in the program and $25 annually, but Romine said customers also agree to give up some control to save energy and money and make the system more reliable.
"So, it helps everybody for people to participate in these programs. It is a bit uncomfortable for a short period of time, but it's very, very helpful," said Romine.
This is the first time in the program's six year span that customers could not override their smart thermostats, Romine said. He said the "energy emergency" was due to an unexpected outage in Pueblo combined with hot weather and heavy air conditioner usage.
But Talarico said he had no idea that he could be locked out of the thermostat. While he has solar panels and a smart thermostat to save energy, he says he did not sign up to have this much control taken away.
"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. "Even if it's a once-in-a-blue-moon situation, it just doesn't sit right with us to not be able to control our own thermostat in our house."
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Colorado Ping ( Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.)
Anyone who has a “smart” appliance opens the door to these kinds of shenanigans.
Brandon did this, and yet there are still Democrat voters.
> Customers receive a $100 credit for enrolling in the program and $25 annually <
I don’t know about everyone else, but I would gladly give up control of my own home for $25 a year.
/s
I assume a hairdryer on the thermostat might be a workaround.
“Also, remember that being a IS Citizen is voluntary, so when you see conservatives hauled off to railcars, know they they signed up for this.”
There is a damned good reason why I do NOT have a “smart” thermostat in my home.
Smart appliances, stupid owners...
Especially when they signed up for the program that allows the energy company to take control of their thermostat, as was the case here.
good one
i was thinking heat lamp
Lot’s of EV lovers in Colorado. As well as many of them having solar panels, though it’s usually just a few panels to give token worship to gaia, not enough to charge their EV much less cool their home.
Also the motivation for going solar with battery.
When Xcel cuts power we are still independent.
Dey gots rewarded!.....................
People were warned about this, but they ignored it. No they are ignoring the totalitarian threat of a cashless society.
Just send me a bag of Skittles and you can have your way with me.
No.
A hammer.......................
Especially when they signed up for the program that allows the energy company to take control of their thermostat, as was the case here.
^^ THAT ^^
🙃
We declared Denver metro to be a goner 15 years ago. Best decision ever.
How’s that ‘smart’ thermostat working for ya?
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