Community Energy Savings: Smart Thermostat Program FAQ

• Your public power utility’s Community Energy Savings program is a voluntary program for electric customers who have eligible smart thermostats connected to their central air conditioning.

• When summer temperatures climb, demand for electricity increases and strains the power grid so prices increase. The Community Energy Savings: Smart Thermostat Program is designed to help reduce energy use during times of high electric demand. This decreases the use of less efficient and more expensive power sources which helps lower energy costs for everyone in your community.

• Participants agree to brief thermostat adjustments of up to four degrees during high electric demand periods from May 1 through Sept. 30. Thermostat adjustments typically last no more than four hours and will not occur on weekends or holidays, except in the rare event of a system emergency. Participants can conveniently opt out at any time.

• Participants will receive a one-time $55 virtual prepaid Mastercard® (limit one per household) after successfully enrolling in the program. Plus, if you stay enrolled, you will be entered for a chance to win a $250 Prepaid Mastercard at the end of each summer season.

To be eligible to enroll, you must:

• Be an electric customer of a participating public power utility (list below) and the electric service must be in your name

  • Participating public power utilities are:

    • City of Bowling Green

    • Village of Bradner

    • Village of Clinton

    • City of Columbiana

    • Village of Edgerton

    • Village of Elmore

    • Grafton Power and Light

    • Village of Haskins

    • Napoleon Power & Light

    • City of Oberlin

    • City of Wadsworth

    • City of Westerville

• Use an eligible internet-connected smart thermostat for cooling

• Allow your utility to make brief, small thermostat adjustments on days of high electric demand

• You will receive a one-time $55 Prepaid Mastercard after successfully enrolling in the program (one Prepaid Mastercard per household).

• You will receive your $55 Prepaid Mastercard within 60 days of being accepted into the program.

• The $55 Prepaid Mastercard will be sent to the email address used to register your smart thermostat.

• Plus, if you stay enrolled, you will be entered for a chance to win a $250 Prepaid Mastercard at the end of each summer season.

Confirm your eligibility for the program by answering “yes” to these three questions: 1. Are you a participating public power utility electric customer? 2. Do you use an eligible, internet-connected thermostat to control your central air conditioning? 3. Will you allow your public power utility to make brief, small thermostat adjustments on high electric demand days or in the rare event of a system emergency?

If you answered “yes” to all three questions, please choose whether you have an eligible thermostat to enroll in the program or if you would like to purchase a new, qualifying thermostat.

If you have an existing thermostat, please select your thermostat among the eligible models. Then, click the Enroll Now button to go to your thermostat’s enrollment site, where you will follow a series of simple steps to enroll.

If you don’t have an existing eligible thermostat, please choose a model to purchase and install. Once you have installed and activated your thermostat, revisit this page to enroll your new thermostat in the program.

Once you have successfully enrolled your thermostat, your public power utility will receive notification. Your public power utility will confirm your eligibility and you will be officially enrolled in the program. You will also receive a confirmation email on your enrollment status to the address provided during your account registration.

Depending on your thermostat provider, notifications will appear on the thermostat and/or in your web/mobile application.

• At the start of an event, your thermostat will be automatically adjusted up to four degrees above the current temperature setting.

• The event will typically last fewer than four hours on non-holiday weekday afternoon. Once the event is over, your thermostat will return to its normal setting.

• Your thermostat may be adjusted down 3 degrees to pre-cool your home prior to the event.

Only on event days, your thermostat will be adjusted by four degrees or less. Your participation is voluntary, and you will retain control of your thermostat. You can easily opt out of an event for any reason.

Yes. During an event, you can opt out from your thermostat, mobile device or web app.

Send an email to communityenergysavings@energyhub.com, requesting to end your participation in the program. Once you have been taken off the program, your thermostat(s) will no longer be available for adjustments by your public power utility during peak (high) electric demand events.

Please email communityenergysavings@energyhub.com.