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165

From the article:

" [Brandon] English appears to have enrolled the thermostat, operated by the company EnergyHub, in a program known as “Smart Savers Texas,” KHOU 11 notes. The program, which customers have to opt-into, allows power companies to remotely adjust thermostats when energy demands are high in exchange for an entry into a sweepstakes. Other power companies have been known to offer customers reduced billing costs for entering similar programs.

Upon realizing the details of the program, English says he immediately unenrolled: “I wouldn’t want anybody else controlling my things for me.”

Read the EULA mother fucker!

Some of the initial articles were failing to mention the "sweepstakes" and some people getting between $80 and $150 credit (depending on square footage of house) for opting into and were making it sound like ERCOT was hacking into thermostats which was NOT THE CASE.

From the article: " [Brandon] English appears to have enrolled the thermostat, operated by the company EnergyHub, in a program known as “Smart Savers Texas,” KHOU 11 notes. The program, which customers have to opt-into, allows power companies to remotely adjust thermostats when energy demands are high in exchange for an entry into a sweepstakes. Other power companies have been known to offer customers reduced billing costs for entering similar programs. Upon realizing the details of the program, English says he immediately unenrolled: “I wouldn’t want anybody else controlling my things for me.” Read the EULA mother fucker! Some of the initial articles were failing to mention the "sweepstakes" and some people getting between $80 and $150 credit (depending on square footage of house) for opting into and were making it sound like ERCOT was hacking into thermostats which was NOT THE CASE.

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[–] • 1 pt

It might be beneficial if you just hook up the thermostat to a power supply, connected to nothing and simply use a dumb thermostat.

[–] • 0 pt

In my area, I think they anticipated that. Your AC was hooked up to a separate smart meter, so they could cut off the power directly at the source. An enterprising person could always have it cross wired, but that's a little above most randos pay grade.

[–] • 1 pt

Lol, I love how they demonize air conditioners, but they want us charging massive batteries in EVs plugged in to our houses all at the same time. All while telling this from their freezing ACs while wearing multiple layers of expensive tailor suites.