A Colorado woman was unable to lower her home thermostat during a scorching heatwave, as her energy provider, Xcel Energy, restricted her ability to adjust the temperature due to strain on the regional power grid. The incident occurred during a period when temperatures in Colorado reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit and remained in the 90s for several days.
Kyri Baker, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, attempted to set her thermostat to 75 degrees Fahrenheit from its current setting of 79 degrees, but received a notification stating, "To conserve energy in your community due to stress on the regional energy grid, you cannot set your temperature to be lower." Baker had voluntarily enrolled in Xcel Energy's Saver's Switch program. This program offers customers a monthly credit of $40 in exchange for allowing the company to control their air conditioning during peak demand periods to conserve power grid capacity.
According to Xcel Energy's explanation on its website, the Saver's Switch program is typically activated for short intervals, usually between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on a few summer days each year. The program functions by cycling air conditioning off for 15-20 minute periods while keeping the fan running. Xcel Energy states that most customers do not notice when the program is activated.
Baker expressed frustration, noting that she was unaware that the program would prevent her from lowering her thermostat at all. "I just wanted to set it to 75, something very reasonable so my daughter could fall asleep," she told 9 News. "It was kind of annoying. I'm doing my part to help the grid, and I'm getting penalized for it in some way."
She raised concerns about the safety implications of such restrictions, particularly for vulnerable populations. "It's literally not safe to have a utility not allow you to cool or heat your house to a certain degree," Baker stated, emphasizing that this could be particularly dangerous for older adults or individuals with medical conditions. As a professor of civil and environmental engineering, Baker understands the impact of extreme heat on energy infrastructure, which becomes less efficient while demand for cooling increases.
Baker suggested that upgrades to the grid system are necessary to address underlying capacity issues rather than relying on customer demand reduction. This situation echoes broader challenges faced by other U.S. cities grappling with rising temperatures and aging energy grids.
In response to similar heat challenges, other regions have implemented or considered temperature regulations. For instance, starting January 1, 2027, landlords in unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County will be required to maintain rental units at 82 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler. Earlier in the summer, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged residents to set their air conditioners to 78 degrees Fahrenheit to reduce strain on the city's grid, a recommendation also made by his predecessor.
The Department of Energy suggests that a thermostat setting between 75 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit is appropriate during the summer months, with adjustments to raise the temperature when no one is home. 
