The Electric Department launched a Smart Thermostat Pilot Program on August 1st. The program is a partnership with ecobee, a smart thermostat company, and provides incentives for customers who have an ecobee smart thermostat in their home and sign up for the program.  

The Smart Thermostat Pilot Program is voluntary and designed to reward customers for reducing their energy use during periods of high demand for electricity. Conserving energy during peak hours, when the cost to purchase and generate electricity is higher, helps keep prices affordable for our community.   

Customers will receive a one-time enrollment incentive, in the form of a $50 bill credit, as well as a monthly participation bill credit of $5.00 per thermostat for their participation.  

Those who wish to participate can sign up using the ecobee mobile app. There are some restrictions, and full details are available on our website.   

This pilot is an addition to GUC’s long-standing commitment to peak shaving initiatives. Our Beat the Peak program has been in operation for years and similarly offers incentives to residential customers who allow GUC to install special switches that cycle off electric water heaters, central air conditioning units/heat pumps, and/or electric furnaces during peak hours. Like the ecobee program, customers receive bill credits for participation in Beat the Peak. This is an option for those who do not have an ecobee smart thermostat in their home.  

“The smart thermostat pilot program is part of GUC’s continuing efforts to take advantage of current technology to provide excellent service to our customers at the lowest reasonable cost,” said John Worrell, Director of Electric Systems. “We have a limited number of spots available initially and will be evaluating the effectiveness of the program to determine if it should be expanded.”