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Arizona Trialing System That Lets Utility System Control Home A/Cs

Posted by timothy on from the so-you-preferred-the-brownouts-sir dept.

AzTechGuy writes "Arizona Public Service Co., Arizona's largest power company, is implementing a test program that would put customers' thermostats under their control to help balance power needs during critical peak usage times. APS will be able to remote control the customers' thermostats to control power draw from their A/C when there is a critical power transmission issue on the grid. Customers will be able to override these settings if they desire."

5 of 393 comments (clear)

  1. Maryland already has this by dunc78 · · Score: 4, Informative

    BGE already does this in Maryland.

    1. Re:Maryland already has this by SydShamino · · Score: 4, Informative

      Austin Energy has been giving out free 7-day programmable thermostats for years, with the caveat being that they can control them when necessary to balance load.

      This is nothing new to see here, move along territory.

      --
      It doesn't hurt to be nice.
    2. Re:Maryland already has this by fireduck · · Score: 5, Informative

      Except, at least with the deal we got from So Cal Edison, we give them the right to shut off our air conditioner in exchange for a discount on our summer electric bill. I don't recall exactly how much of a discount on the energy they gave us, but considering that they never once actually killed our air con during the summer, I have no complaints whatsoever.

  2. Ontario has had this program since 2008 by nufrosty · · Score: 5, Informative

    You get a $25 rebate and a thermostat/switch, and they get to control your AC to adjust your temperature by 2-3 degrees. They cap the number of times the are allowed to do it at 10 times/year.

    When can peaksaver be activated? on weekdays (Monday through Friday), most likely between 12:00p.m. to 6:00p.m. from May 1 to September 30. Never on weekends or holidays. for a maximum of ten activations during the summer and only for a total of four hours during any one activation. As an example; in 2008, the peaksaver program was activated only five times.

    http://everykilowattcounts.ca/residential/peaksaver/understanding-electricity-demand.php

  3. Re:Don't cry monopoly. by Kral_Blbec · · Score: 4, Informative

    You got a spare 30k to put down for that? Or are you just talking out of your ass?