Colorado energy company blocks woman from controlling her own AC during heat wave

University of Colorado Boulder assistant professor Kyri Baker said that when she tried to turn her home thermostat down from 79 to 75, she received a message from Xcel Energy saying that she would not be able to because of stress on the energy grid. This came during a heat wave in the state, with temperatures reaching 100 over the weekend and staying in the 90s through Monday and Tuesday.

Baker said, “I just wanted to set it to 75, something very reasonable so my daughter could fall asleep.”

The message she received stated, “To conserve energy in your community due to stress on the regional energy grid, you cannot set your temperature to be lower.”

Baker had opted into Xcel’s Saver’s Switch program, which credits customers $40 per month if they allow the energy company to control their homes’ temperatures and cut their air conditioning back during peak heat times to conserve power grid capacity.

Xcel Energy explains that the program may be activated “on a few hot summer days a year,” and that air conditioning during this time is switched off and on in 15 to 20 minute intervals. “However, the fan stays on, circulating already-cooled air throughout your home.”

“Most customers don't even notice when Saver's Switch is activated. On control days, Saver's Switch is typically activated between 2 pm and 7 pm,” the company states.

Baker said that while she initially enrolled in the program to offset her carbon footprint, she had not been aware that it would leave her unable to adjust her own thermostat. “It was kind of annoying. I’m doing my part to help the grid, and I’m getting penalized for it in some way,” she said.