PG&E SmartAC

[paulney]

Got the offer both in the mail and e-mail: install a remote-controlled switch (controlled by us, PG&E!) - and get whopping $25 in return. And when it's super-hot, we are going to seize control of your thermostat for up to 6 hours per day. 'Cause it's cheaper to squeeze you, then to upgrade our network for extra power needs. Mwahaha. Sign up, you know you want to.

Over my dead body.

 

[guyver01]

Originally posted by: paulney
Got the offer both in the mail and e-mail: install a remote-controlled switch (controlled by us, PG&E!) - and get whopping $25 in return. And when it's super-hot, we are going to seize control of your thermostat for up to 6 hours per day. 'Cause it's cheaper to squeeze you, then to upgrade our network for extra power needs. Mwahaha. Sign up, you know you want to.

Over my dead sweating from a power outage cuz there's no electrictity to run the A/C body.

fixed.

 

[paulney]

Fuck it. I already conserve enough power in the house as is.

It's the same thing as with water: if you spend the water all you want, and then the water agency asks you to conserve some, you stop watering your massive lawn for one day a month, and you save 20%. And you get some kind of cashback. But if you are frugal with it, like me, you can't save any more, because there isn't any way. And you get penalized. And then the agency complains that people are using too little water, so their revenues are down, so they jack up the prices.

PG&E could have done tons of stuff to upgrade the network, purchase power elsewhere, encourage independent renewable energy power produces, etc. But they tried to push through ballot measures to kick all other energy producers from the market, spent tons of money on ridiculous ads where everyone replacing incandescent lights for 'I look like a zombie' fluorescent bulb is a freaking hero of the year. And now they want to control your AC as well. Well, fuck them.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: paulney
Got the offer both in the mail and e-mail: install a remote-controlled switch (controlled by us, PG&E!) - and get whopping $25 in return. And when it's super-hot, we are going to seize control of your thermostat for up to 6 hours per day. 'Cause it's cheaper to squeeze you, then to upgrade our network for extra power needs. Mwahaha. Sign up, you know you want to.

Over my dead body.

Hey, they'd be perfectly happy to sell you more power, but they have government mandates to "conserve" energy and have to show that they are making concrete efforts to sell less power.

 

[LTC8K6]

IIRC, they tried to make that mandatory in California, and they still want to.

 

[PokerGuy]

Wow, that sounds like a heck of a deal... not! Just when it gets hot and you want to run some AC to cool things down, they'll take control of it and not let you run the AC. Yeah, sounds like a winning plan to save $25! Sign me up.

 

[NoCreativity]

I have something similar...

By allowing us to briefly cycle your service by remote control on very hot days or when there is a high demand for electricity, you save over the basic residential rate. The cycles are limited to 15 minutes maximum at a time followed by at least 15 minutes of operation and limited to no more than eight hours in a 24-hour period so they should not noticeably affect the temperature inside your home.

I have rarely noticed when they cut it off and it saves me 20% on my heating and cooling electricity.

But for $25, I would tell them to get bent.

 

[techs]

It sounds sort of like the plan that lets companies get a discount on electricity in exchange for voluntarily reducing their power usage during peak events.
However, the 25 dollars is a joke.
If they offered a real incentive perhaps it would be worthile.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: NoCreativity
I have something similar...

By allowing us to briefly cycle your service by remote control on very hot days or when there is a high demand for electricity, you save over the basic residential rate. The cycles are limited to 15 minutes maximum at a time followed by at least 15 minutes of operation and limited to no more than eight hours in a 24-hour period so they should not noticeably affect the temperature inside your home.

I have rarely noticed when they cut it off and it saves me 20% on my heating and cooling electricity.

But for $25, I would tell them to get bent.

Yeah, I'd do it for recurring savings. A one-time payment is no incentive.

 

[Raduque]

Take the device, and then install window units and run those, instead.

 

[boomerang]

Originally posted by: NoCreativity
I have something similar...

By allowing us to briefly cycle your service by remote control on very hot days or when there is a high demand for electricity, you save over the basic residential rate. The cycles are limited to 15 minutes maximum at a time followed by at least 15 minutes of operation and limited to no more than eight hours in a 24-hour period so they should not noticeably affect the temperature inside your home.

I have rarely noticed when they cut it off and it saves me 20% on my heating and cooling electricity.

But for $25, I would tell them to get bent.

Same here. OP, are you sure there's no rate reduction tied in with it?

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Raduque
Take the device, and then install window units and run those, instead.

Just so I understand what you're saying...

He should voluntarily accept a device that will let the electric company adjust his thermostat. His compensation is $25.

Then he should go buy window air conditioners, which start at about $100. He should run these less efficient window air conditioners while his electric company is trying to conserve energy. And he'll need to leave these rather unattractive air conditioners in his windows all summer.

I have to ask - why?

 

[paulney]

Originally posted by: boomerang
Same here. OP, are you sure there's no rate reduction tied in with it?

There's no rate reduction. You may get a reduced bill, because your AC will run at lower wattage, but there's no incentive from PG&E in the form of reduced rates on the daily basis.

 

[SoulAssassin]

Is this a contract? For how long?

 

[techs]

All your electrons belong to them.

 

[feralkid]

Originally posted by: paulney
Got the offer both in the mail and e-mail: install a remote-controlled switch (controlled by us, PG&E!) - and get whopping $25 in return. And when it's super-hot, we are going to seize control of your thermostat for up to 6 hours per day. 'Cause it's cheaper to squeeze you, then to upgrade our network for extra power needs. Mwahaha. Sign up, you know you want to.

Over my dead body.

Shoot up their corporate HQ.

We all know you want to.

 

[paulney]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin
Is this a contract? For how long?

For life I guess?
I have no idea.

Edit: they promise you can opt out* any time (for now).

*Ability to opt-out may not be available in the event of an energy supply emergency. (from their newsletter)

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Raduque
Take the device, and then install window units and run those, instead.

Just so I understand what you're saying...

He should voluntarily accept a device that will let the electric company adjust his thermostat. His compensation is $25.

Then he should go buy window air conditioners, which start at about $100. He should run these less efficient window air conditioners while his electric company is trying to conserve energy. And he'll need to leave these rather unattractive air conditioners in his windows all summer.

I have to ask - why?

It'll learn 'em a lesson

 

[boomerang]

Originally posted by: paulney

Originally posted by: boomerang
Same here. OP, are you sure there's no rate reduction tied in with it?

There's no rate reduction. You may get a reduced bill, because your AC will run at lower wattage, but there's no incentive from PG&E in the form of reduced rates on the daily basis.

You should call for clarification because I think you're confused. If it costs you $25 (a one time charge) to reduce your bill, why would this not be worthwhile? Your A/C is not going to run at a lower wattage, you're going to pay less for the electricity used to run it.

After the $25 is spent, it's pure profit for you. These programs are offered by many utility companies, mine being one of them. They have the option to cut off your A/C at peak loads.

I jumped at the chance to do it here, and I just can't imagine why you wouldn't be interested in saving money for the total investment of $25. Hell, I had to have a second meter installed with a radio controlled disconnect too. My payback was far longer than yours would be.

IMO you're only hurting yourself.