Rhode Island Energy FAQ

• Rhode Island Energy’s voluntary demand response program is designed to reward you for reducing your electricity use during periods of high demand, while helping the environment and reliability of the electricity grid.

• Participants agree to brief, limited events which adjust their thermostats during peak electric demand periods from June 1 through September 30. There are typically 15 peak events every summer. Peak demand periods for adjustments typically occur on especially hot days.

• Rhode Island Energy residential electricity customers who have installed a qualifying connected thermostat controlling their central air conditioning system are eligible.

• Participants will receive a $50 virtual prepaid Mastercard® per device after being accepted into the program and a $20 Prepaid Mastercard per device at the end of each summer season for participating.

The program:

• Supports RI energy initiatives

• Protects our environment by lowering emissions.

• Helps reduce the cost of peak energy in our region.

• Helps control electric rates in the long term.

To be eligible to enroll, you must meet the following qualifications:

• You are a Rhode Island Energy residential or small business electric customer.

• You use your thermostat to control your central air conditioning.

• You have an installed, eligible internet-connected thermostat.

Participants will receive a $50 Prepaid Mastercard per thermostat after being accepted into the program.

You will receive an email with your $50 Prepaid Mastercard for being accepted into ConnectedSolutions within four to six weeks of being accepted into the program.

You will receive an email with your $20 Prepaid Mastercard at the end of the summer season for participating.

Below is the current list of qualifying thermostats.

You can find the program terms and conditions for all thermostat providers below:

Confirm your eligibility for the ConnectedSolutions program with these three questions:

• Are you a Rhode Island Energy residential or small business electric customer?

• Do you use your thermostat to control your central air conditioning?

• Will you allow Rhode Island Energy to make short, low impact thermostat adjustments on peak energy days?

If you confirm these three questions, please choose whether you have a thermostat to enroll in the ConnectedSolutions program or if you would like to purchase one.

• If you have an existing thermostat, please select your thermostat among the eligible models. If you don’t have an existing eligible thermostat, please choose a model, purchase and install it. Once you have installed and activated, come back to enroll your new thermostat in the ConnectedSolutions program.

• Click the Enroll Now button to go to your thermostat’s enrollment site, where you’ll follow a series of simple steps to enroll.

Once your eligibility is confirmed by Rhode Island Energy, you will be enrolled in the program. You will receive notification on your eligibility status in your account registered email.

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

• At the start of an adjustment event, your thermostat will be automatically adjusted up to 4 degrees above the current temperature setting.

• The adjustment will typically last no more than 3 hours, and will occur between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

• Once the temperature adjustment is over, your thermostat will return to its normal set point and/or schedule.

• In some cases, your thermostat might be adjusted down 3 degrees prior to an adjustment event to pre-cool your home or business.

• You can opt out of an event at any time from your mobile device, web browser, or thermostat. For the majority of devices, when you opt out of the pre-cool, you are also opting out of the temperature adjustment. If you own an ecobee device, you must also opt out of the temperature adjustment.

Adjustment events will only affect the temperature by a few degrees, with minimal impact on comfort. And you can easily opt out of an event at any time, for any reason. Your participation is voluntary.

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

For the majority of devices, when you opt out of the pre-cool, you are also opting out of the temperature adjustment. If you own an ecobee device, you must also opt out of the temperature adjustment.

Send an email to rienergy@energyhub.com requesting to end your participation in the ConnectedSolutions program. Unenrolling from the program will end your participation for all your enrolled thermostats.

You can reach out to rienergy@energyhub.com