‘Excelsior Power’ would allow utilities to control your smart thermostat
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ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Would you let your utility control your thermostat for a discount on your bill each month? Governor Kathy Hochul is proposing a plan called “Excelsior Power” that aims to make that a reality for New Yorkers.
As energy demands increase, New York’s electric grid needs to become more flexible to control costs and maintain reliability. Governor Hochul’s Excelsior Power plan would offer a $25 monthly bill credit for consumers who replace old thermostats with new smart thermostats and allow utilities to adjust those thermostats when the power grid is most stressed.
RG&E and NYSEG already offer a similar, voluntary program from May 1st to September 30th, it allows the company to make brief, limited temperature adjustments,” explains Nicole Williams, Manager of Conservation and Load Management at RG&E/NYSEG. The adjustments range from 1 to 4 degrees and participants receive a gift card for signing up plus a $20 bill credit at the end of the season.
Customers will receive a push notification and an email before the adjustments are made and they can over-ride the changes if they wish. Since RG&E/NYSEG started the program in 2016, about 38,000 households across both utilities have participated.
However, many of the customers News10NBC spoke with were hesitant about the idea, especially considering the billing and customer service issues that RG&E has faced over the last several years.
Ken Stoker from Gates says, “I want control over my own home, period.”
Christopher Olan from Chili echoed this sentiment, saying, “I think it’s a bad idea, don’t need any more control over my personal life.”
The governor is pushing for the $25 monthly discount to be included in the budget but customers like Olan say it would need to be “at least a 50% discount” for him to consider participating.
For more information on RG&E’s current program: Click Here