Peak electricity demands occur on hot summer afternoons when air conditioners are working hard to keep homes and businesses cool. This increased demand is a challenge for power companies and can result in higher costs for the power company and higher bills for the customer.
Thus, power companies are eager to cut peak demand: so eager that they will pay you to use less power during critical times in order to match the amount of electricity demand and supply. The following table summarizes the direct load control programs offered by power companies across the US– in exchange for allowing them to turn down electricity-consuming residential appliances like air conditioners and water heaters during periods of extreme peak demand, you will receive rebates and other financial incentives.
See also our blog for more information on these programs, and click on your power company's program name to see the details.
If you find a program we've missed, we'd really appreciate it if you would let us know!
Last Updated: 10-Oct-2016
| State | Power Company | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| AR | Entergy Arkansas, Inc. | Summer Advantage | The Summer Advantage Program pays you to help Entergy Arkansas reduce their peak electricity demand. The Summer Advantage Program helps reduce peak demand by installing a Direct Cycling Unit (DCU) on your home's biggest user of electricity, the air conditioner. During periods of increased demand, Entergy can activate the DCU causing the air conditioner compressor to run less than before. 50% cycling: $25/year + $25 signup bonus; 75% cycling: $40/year + $40 signup bonus |
| CA | San Diego Gas & Electric Co. | Reduce Your Use | Save enough electricity between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on a Reduce Your UseSM Rewards day and you’ll earn a credit on your SDG&E bill. To earn rewards, set up an alert and we’ll let you know when to expect a Reduce Your Use day. Steps to Earning Rewards Set up Reduce Your Use alerts within My Account. We’ll send out an alert the day before. Save energy between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on the actual day. Automatically earn rewards for saving energy. View your reward credits online or on your bill. |
| CA | Southern California Edison Co. | Summer Discount Plan | Earn up to $200* in bill credits with the sweet discount plan that makes it easy to conserve energy over the summer. When you participate in the Summer Discount Plan, you save by voluntarily allowing us to shut down your A/C for up to 6 hours a day during “energy events” we may call during periods of high electricity demand, or emergencies. We supply and install a device on your home or central-A/C unit to remotely shut it off during energy events. You can choose your level of participation from 4 options: Save more with our “standard” option, or choose the flexibility of our “override” option, which lets you opt out of up to 5 energy event days a year. Then decide between Maximum Savings (100% cycling) or Maximum Comfort (50% cycling.) |
| CA | Southern California Edison Co. | Save Power Days | By reducing electricity use on scheduled Save Power Days, you can earn up to $100* in bill credits. We call Save Power Days about 12 times per year, only on non-holiday weekdays. Once you enroll and set your alert preferences, we will notify you the day before a Save Power Day is called. To participate, you’ll need to reduce your electricity usage between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. during Save Power Days. Participation is voluntary: you don’t have to reduce your electricity usage and there’s no penalty for not doing so; however, the more energy you save during a Save Power Day, the more you can earn in bill credits. |
| CO | Xcel Energy (CO) | Saver's Switch | Cut back on usage during peak demand and save Hot summer days mean increased air conditioning use, which pushes demand for electricity to a peak. By participating in our Saver's Switch program, you'll help us manage these peaks by cutting back just a little on the time your central air works to cool your home. In exchange for your participation, you'll receive savings on your electric charges each year you participate in Saver's Switch. On a few hot summer days a year, Xcel Energy may activate Saver's Switch. The switch cycles your air conditioner off and on generally at 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 p.m. and 7 p.m. |
| DE | Delmarva Power & Light Co. - DE | Energy Wise Rewards | During the peak electricity demand times in the summer, generally June through September, we'll automatically cycle off and on participating central air conditioners and heat pumps to help reduce the region's demand for electricity. These Energy Wise Rewards conservation periods occur on Peak Savings Days. This automatic reduction of your air conditioner energy use makes it easy for you to receive credits off your bill through the Peak Energy Savings Credit. You'll receive a one-time Installation Credit of up to $80 off your bill and your choice of an energy-saving device at no charge! |
| FL | Duke Energy Florida | Energy Wise | More than 400,000 Duke Energy customers have found that EnergyWise Home is a free, easy way to make a positive energy impact while getting up to $147 a year in bill credits. Unlike energy-saving measures in your own home, EnergyWise Home works across the community to lower energy usage during occasional periods when energy demand is unusually high. You may choose to enroll some or all of the following equipment in your home: water heater, pool pump, central heating or air conditioning. Duke Energy then installs a small switch – usually in your garage – that can receive a signal during a time when energy demand in our area is unusually high. There is no cost for installation and no cost to participate. If a period of high energy demand occurs, communication can be sent to enrolled equipment (only) anywhere in the community to cycle power off and on and temporarily reduce energy use. The system normally calls first upon water heaters, then pool pumps, which is usually sufficient to ease demand. These cycles occur only during limited times - view the details tab above for more information. No wonder most participants say they never even notice. |
| FL | Florida Power & Light Co. | FPL OnCall | When you volunteer to enroll in On Call, you help us meet the energy needs of all customers when demand for electricity is highest. In exchange for your participation, you will receive a credit on your electric bill when you agree to let FPL turn off equipment you select by participating in this program. How On Call works: FPL will install a small energy-management device on equipment you select – like your pool pump, water heater or air conditioner We may occasionally switch “off” selected equipment remotely for short periods of time during extremely high electricity demand (most often summer afternoons) You will receive a monthly credit on your bill, even if we never switch off your equipment – totaling up to $137 annually, depending on the equipment and program options you select |
| IL | Commonwealth Edison Co. | Smart Ideas® Central AC Cycling | Reduce electricity demand on the hottest days of the summer by joining ComEd's Smart Ideas® Central Air Conditioning Cycling. By enrolling, you can help us better manage our energy resources, help the environment, and earn credits on your summer electric bill. With our AC Cycling program, we send a wireless signal to a switch that we install on the side of your home or directly on the air conditioner's compressor panel. The switch allows us to turn your compressor off and on, so it uses less power safely on the hottest days of the summer. Your fan still stays on to circulate already cooled air and to keep your home comfortable. Cycling is only done when needed, and it may occur only on weekdays and for limited periods of time. Options include 50% or 100% cycling. |
| IL | Commonwealth Edison Co. | Peak Time Savings | If your home has a smart meter, you're eligible to enroll in ComEd's new Peak Time Savings program and earn a credit on your electric bill when you participate voluntarily on days with Peak Time Savings Hours. There is no cost to enroll and you can remain in the program for as long as you like. ComEd will credit your electric bill when you reduce your electricity use during Peak Time Savings Hours, for a few hours between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. during the summer. When you enroll, you can choose to be notified by phone call, text message or email. |
| IN | Duke Energy Indiana, Inc. | Power Manager | Power Manager is a voluntary program that pays you for reducing your air conditioning use during times of high demand for electricity. Depending on which Power Manager option you choose, you will receive a one-time credit of $25 or $35 on your bill just for signing up. After you complete a full year on the program, you will receive additional monthly credits on your May to September bills for as long as you remain on the program. Your credits will total a minimum of $7.50 to $10 a year, depending on the program you signed up for. |
| MD | PEPCO - Potomac Electric Power Co., MD | Energy Wise Rewards | Pepco will install a web-programmable thermostat or outdoor switch at your home and cycle it during peak-use times in exchange for bill credits. The thermostat signals the beginning and end of conservation periods. 50% cycling: $30/year + $30 initial signup bonus; 75% cycling: $45/year + $45 initial signup bonus; 100% cycling: $60 + $60 initial signup bonus |
| MD | Delmarva Power & Light Co. - MD | Energy Wise Rewards | Pepco will install a web-programmable thermostat or outdoor switch at your home and cycle it during peak-use times in exchange for bill credits. The thermostat signals the beginning and end of conservation periods. 50% cycling: $30/year + $30 initial signup bonus; 75% cycling: $45/year + $45 initial signup bonus; 100% cycling: $60 + $60 initial signup bonus |
| MD | Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. | PeakRewards Programs | AIR CONDITIONING PROGRAM - By joining the program, you will receive your choice of a programmable thermostat or outdoor switch at your home and BGE summer bill credits between $100 to $200 from June — September. ELECTRIC WATER HEATER PROGRAM - Save money on your energy bill every winter by joining the PeakRewards Electric Water Heater program. The program can help you save money and reduce energy demand during the cold winter months, you will also receive between $25 to $50 in bill credits from November – February. |
| NV | NV Energy (Nevada Power Co.) | Smart Thermostat Home Energy Management | Did you know that 50% of your energy bill goes toward cooling & heating your home? Our Smart Thermostat makes saving easy. In fact, it does all the work for you. The average home will save up to $100 every year. You will receive up to 4 smart thermostats with energy savings technology, online access, a free mobile app, and 24/7 customer support. Participation Credit - In addition to the valuable Smart Thermostat benefits you already enjoy, you will receive a credit for having participated in Community Energy Events on your Nov-Dec bill. The credit is a dividend (an additional benefit) for your participation in this year's energy events, which occurred from June through September. |
| NC | Duke Energy Progress - NC | EnergyWise Home Program | How EnergyWise Home works At no cost to you, Duke Energy Progress will install a small device at your home that enables us to cycle power off and on to your central air conditioning system during periods of unusually high energy demand. Cycles are short, automatic and require no effort from you. You’ll receive a $25 annual credit on your energy bill. Designed for your convenience There is no cost to participate. EnergyWise Home is typically activated only a few days during summer and is limited to weekdays – no weekends or holidays. You may choose up to two days during the summer season to override your air conditioner cycling. You may withdraw without penalty at any time. |
| UT | Rocky Mountain Power - UT (PacifiCorp) | Cool Keeper | The program is available to Utah residential and business customers along the Wasatch Front with central air conditioning.As a participant, you will receive an annual $20 thank-you credit on your November bill. Participating in Cool Keeper is a way for you to help manage peak demand for electricity and make the most efficient use of the existing electrical system for the benefit of all customers. Once you sign up, a device will be connected to your outdoor central air conditioning unit. On selected weekdays in the summer, we’ll automatically coordinate the air conditioners of participating customers in your neighborhood to help ease the demand for electricity. Your air conditioner will still operate when the Cool Keeper device is activated, but just about half as much. |
| WV | AEP Appalachian Power WV | Peak Reduction Program. | By participating, you will help reduce stress on the electric grid when demand is at its highest. When you enroll, a device is installed near your outside central air conditioning unit. During a limited number of peak demand periods, which typically occur on the hottest days of summer, Appalachian Power will activate this device to adjust your air conditioner's compressor to run at 50 percent cycling. During cycling events, the fan that circulates air inside your home will continue to run. An $8.00 monthly bill credit for each central cooling unit controlled during the billing months of May through September every year that you participate. |
| DC | PEPCO - Potomac Electric Power Co., DC | Energy Wise Rewards | Pepco will install a web-programmable thermostat or outdoor switch at your home and cycle it during peak-use times in exchange for bill credits. The thermostat signals the beginning and end of conservation periods. 50% cycling: $30/year + $30 initial signup bonus; 75% cycling: $45/year + $45 initial signup bonus; 100% cycling: $60 + $60 initial signup bonus |