Picture this for me: it's a blisteringly hot 100° day. It's been a long, stressful day at work and a long commute home. You are hot and cranky, and you want to sit on the couch in your underwear and enjoy the exquisite gift from god we call AC. It's turned down nice and low, and you are in your happy space. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, some jerk turns off your AC. 

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Portland General Electric

Well, in a nutshell, this is what Portland General Electric (PGE) is set to do. They adjust home temperatures for those enrolled in the Smart Thermostat program during peak energy hours on Monday and Tuesday evenings. This adjustment, known as the "Peak Time Event," will take place between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. PGE's initiative aims to reduce strain on the power grid during high-demand periods, following more than 6,000 heat-related outages over the Fourth of July weekend. 

Key Points: 

  • Peak Time Event: The program will pre-cool homes an hour before the event, then adjust the thermostat 1 to 3 degrees higher during peak hours. Regular settings will resume after the event. 
  • Participation Incentives: Customers who maintain the adjusted settings can earn credits. However, overriding the settings may cancel these credits. 
  • Health and Safety: Participants can override the settings if necessary for health and safety reasons. 
  • Demand Response Program: This is part of PGE’s strategy to reduce power usage during extreme weather events, generally from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. 
  • Enrollment: About 200,000 PGE customers are part of these programs. 
  • Energy Conservation Tips: To reduce energy use, PGE advises against using heat-producing appliances and charging electric vehicles during peak hours. They also recommend keeping AC units at a higher temperature when home and turning them off at night to let in cool air. 

Sacred Instrument

I just don't know if I could handle this. Growing up, the thermostat was a sacred instrument that shall not be touched unless thou wishes to be smitten. That's how my pops thought about the temp in the house. I carried the same ruling over the magical instrument into my home. And I know it's bad, but my house is kept cool and comfortable year-round. I'll save on electricity somewhere else. I'll turn out the lights and pretend I'm in a cave or something. 

 

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