 | January 6, 2000 |
Less power to you
Utility to test online thermostat control.
Puget Sound Energy, which provides power for more than 1.3 million customers in Washington state, announced a pilot program to reduce peak energy demand while also giving consumers remote control of their thermostats.
Meters in homes send usage info over a wireless link to the power company. The utility analyzes that data and can then instruct smart thermostats in individual homes to bring the temperature down by up to 6 degrees for no more than four hours. The consumer can override the reduction, either directly with the thermostat or via a secure Internet site.
The utility hopes that the cumulative savings will delay the need for additional power plants, and says it can also pass savings on to participating consumers.
—by Matthew Miller
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