Xcel Energy Takes Control of Smart Thermostats in Private Homes

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According to a news report from ABC station Contact Denver 7, 22,000 Xcel customers were locked out of thermostats during 'energy emergency' on Tuesday, August 30, 2022.

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. The "energy emergency" was due to an unexpected outage in Pueblo combined with hot weather and heavy air conditioner usage.

While there may or may not be advantages to customers who sign up for programs like Colorado AC Rewards (customers who signed up received a $100 credit on their bills), it must be understood that from a survival and preparedness viewpoint anytime you give up control of your environment to another, you put yourself at the mercy of the person or agency to whom you have given control. 

Always weigh expected gains against potential losses when using a centrally controlled service.

 

Source:
https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/contact-denver7/thousands-of-xcel-customers-locked-out-of-thermostats-during-energy-emergency

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