Utility provider Xcel Energy took it upon themselves to lock out tens of thousands of Colorado consumers from their smart thermostats on Tuesday. This made it impossible for clients to adjust the temperature in their homes on a scorching summer day.It is for the reason that the company wanted to conserve energy.
Tuesday’s high in Denver was around 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Residents naturally wanted to turn up their air conditioner to escape the oppressive heat.
However, more than 20,000 consumers soon discovered that they were unable to lower their thermostats because their energy provider had electronically locked their A/C temperature at over 80 degrees. Tony Talarico, a resident, said to KMGH-TV that he went to his thermostat and discovered it had been locked due to an energy emergency.
Talarico said, “Normally, when we see a message like that, we’re able to override it. In this case, we weren’t. So, our thermostat was locked in at 78 or 79.
On Tuesday, Xcel customers with smart thermostats were unable to manage their personal air conditioning for many hours.
In fact, the business publicly acknowledged that 22,000 AC Rewards Program clients had been locked out and unable to regulate the temperature in their homes.
Through this service, the business is allowed to remotely manage thermostats for a practical, energy-efficient lifestyle that has long-term advantages.
“By participating in AC Rewards, adjustments are made to your smart thermostat during the hottest summer days. When the demand for electricity is the highest, you’ll help us manage these peaks and ease the strain on the electrical grid. You’ll be cut back on the time your central air works to cool your home with control events,” the company said in a released statement.
Xcel has encouraged participation in the program by providing its customers with a $100 one-time registration credit and a $25 yearly credit.
The initiative is voluntary, according to Emmett Romine, vice president of customer solutions and innovation, who defended his company’s locking thermostats.
Romine continued by stating that a sudden outage that occurred in a city, hot weather, and excessive A/C consumption were the causes of the energy emergency.
