A Colorado resident faced restrictions on adjusting her home thermostat while participating in Xcel Energy's 'Saver's Switch' program, as the company cited stress on the regional energy grid. Kyri Baker, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, stated she attempted to lower her thermostat from 79 degrees Fahrenheit to 75 degrees to accommodate her daughter but received a message indicating she could not set the temperature lower due to grid strain.
Baker, who voluntarily enrolled in the program, expressed concern that the inability to regulate her home's temperature, which reached 80 degrees downstairs, could pose a safety risk. She suggested that the incident highlights a need for grid modernization rather than relying on customer conservation incentives.
The 'Saver's Switch' program, designed to conserve power on hot days, allows Xcel Energy to cycle customers' air conditioning units off for 15- to 20-minute intervals. According to the company, this typically occurs between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on a few days each summer.
Xcel Energy acknowledged receiving feedback about difficulties customers have had opting out of such programs and stated they are working to make the process clearer and easier. Dan Rasmussen, a marketing manager at Xcel, explained that the program offers customers a credit for allowing the company to manage their energy use during peak demand.
Colorado experienced a significant heat wave recently, with temperatures in Denver reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit and remaining in the 90s across other parts of the state. Xcel Energy has also encouraged voluntary energy reduction on "Energy Action Days" through text notifications, urging customers to set thermostats at 78 degrees or higher to ease demand on the power grid.
Similar challenges with energy demand and grid capacity have been noted in other cities. In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani advised residents to set their thermostats to 78 degrees during a July heat wave to help stabilize the energy grid.