Thousands of Xcel customers locked out
of thermostats during 'energy emergency'
Denver 7,
by
Jaclyn Allen
Original Article
Posted By: wildcat1,
9/1/2022 2:58:55 PM
DENVER — During the dog days of summer, it's important to keep your home cool. But when thousands of Xcel customers in Colorado tried adjusting their thermostats Tuesday, they learned they had no control over the temperatures in their own homes.
Temperatures climbed into the 90s Tuesday, which is why Tony Talarico tried to crank up the air conditioning in his partner's Arvada home.
"I mean, it was 90 out, and it was right during the peak period," Talarico said. "It was hot." That's when he saw a message on the thermostat stating the temperature was locked due to an "energy emergency.
Reply 1 - Posted by:
NorthernDog 9/1/2022 3:07:15 PM (No. 1265683)
Welcome to letting Big Brother control your home. Eventually which TV channel you watch will also be locked - for the good of society.
31 people like this.
They were warned that this would happen...or, at least, there were people like me, and many others on here, saying this would happen. Of course, if this goes over without diminishing the popularity of the program, the times they will be unable to control their thermostats will increase.
20 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
Roscoelewis 9/1/2022 3:14:19 PM (No. 1265690)
Aaaannd, Excel is gone.
9 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
Msquared112 9/1/2022 3:15:53 PM (No. 1265692)
What took them so long?
5 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
Mizz Fixxit 9/1/2022 3:15:53 PM (No. 1265693)
Stupid customers surrendered control of their thermostats. This voluntary program is a precursor to mandatory “smart” thermostats. The government is gradually confiscating individual liberties. Much of the crackdown is in the name of saving the planet.
28 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
ladydawgfan 9/1/2022 3:17:16 PM (No. 1265695)
What the government will give (incentives), the government will take away (control over your comfort). Why ANYONE would be stupid enough to sign up for this without considering the repercussions is beyond me!!
27 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
Daisymay 9/1/2022 3:17:35 PM (No. 1265696)
This is only the beginning! If Democrats (Liberals and Greenies) have their way, they will control everything in your Life. Where you can go, where you shop and how much you can buy, what car you can drive and when you can Plug it in and when you can't dur to an Emergency. On and on and on! Vote Woke, this is what you are going to live with!
22 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
wildcat1 9/1/2022 3:23:43 PM (No. 1265703)
I'll add to my OP. It would be extremely simple to change your thermostat back to the original style with no gimmicks. There is either three or four color coded wires. I changed one a month ago, one of the simpler things I have done, even a klutz could do it. That said, how many people in Denver couldn't even wield a screwdriver???
21 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
Safari Man 9/1/2022 3:25:15 PM (No. 1265706)
I love my Honeywell wifi thermostats. But if they pull this crap, they're gone. I realize people "signed up"for this, but I don't put it past the dimocrats to do stuff like this without my consent.
14 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
mifla 9/1/2022 3:26:19 PM (No. 1265709)
Dear Sheeple,
You reap what you sow.
Enjoy.
20 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
hershey 9/1/2022 3:29:00 PM (No. 1265714)
NEVER NEVER let some outside 'entity' have access remotely to anything in your home...thermostat, refrigerator, anything...if 'they' can access it, 'they' can control it....
28 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
DVC 9/1/2022 3:33:47 PM (No. 1265720)
Disconnect the wires from this "totalitarian control box" and install a normal thermostat from the hardware store. It's not hard.
I decided what temp my house is at, no one else.
31 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
varkdriver 9/1/2022 3:38:43 PM (No. 1265727)
To quote the great Judge Smails: "You'll get nothing and LIKE IT!"
Our electric company was offering a credit in exchange for installing something that would cut off your air conditioning compressor whenever they felt like it. They touted by saying, "Hey, not to worry; the fan in your system will still keep running to circulate the already-cool air in your house!"
Mrs. Varkdriver signed us up for that without telling me. I came back to the house just as the guys were installing it. I said, "What is that?" They told me: I promptly told them we had a change of heart and they could rip out that thing, which they did. I gently explained to the Mrs. that it will get hot and hotter when the compressor is shut off, and I know how she feels about a house that is too hot for her...
16 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
learner 9/1/2022 3:56:06 PM (No. 1265737)
On another energy note. A company called GEXA energy is advertising that all the power they provide in Texas is from wind and solar. If we have another freeze that knocks out the turbines and no sun shining for solar do all those people have to freeze to death? What if they own an EV but cannot charge it due to the loss of electricity? Similar to Germany's green energy where the most requested search on google was firewood. But then again firewood is a renewable energy source so maybe that is ok.
12 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
Heil Liberals 9/1/2022 3:59:50 PM (No. 1265740)
I wondered whether the digital “smart-meters” that are now connect to many millions of homes have a remote disconnect. Low and behold:
But even more pressing and immediate, in terms of vulnerabilities, is the remote shut-off capability in smart meters. Digital smart meters have an electronic disconnect switch that allows the utility company to shut down electricity remotely. I got this from a wired article at wired.com/2010/03/smart-grids-done-smartly/
So, if you think this is limited to thermostats and electric hot water heaters, think again. It’s all part of the plan.
14 people like this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
MickTurn 9/1/2022 4:04:56 PM (No. 1265746)
Why would anyone with a brain get a thermostat that can be controlled by someone else?
MORONS!
17 people like this.
Reply 17 - Posted by:
edgar 9/1/2022 4:18:24 PM (No. 1265761)
In NC, Duke Energy initially invited you to join in with price credit. Then, it turned into a mandatory requirement with unannounced visit to confirm you are 'connected' to their electricity control mechanism.
9 people like this.
Reply 18 - Posted by:
Mcscow sailor 9/1/2022 4:33:02 PM (No. 1265771)
While agreeing that my thermo is mine (only) to control, “78 or 79” is only a little warm…fans would take the edge off. Crybabies
3 people like this.
Reply 19 - Posted by:
DVC 9/1/2022 4:33:35 PM (No. 1265772)
From wikipedia:
"Xcel Energy Inc. is an American utility holding company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, serving more than 3.7 million electric customers and 2.1 million natural gas customers in Colorado, Colorado, Texas, and New Mexico in 2019.[3] It consists of four operating subsidiaries: Northern States Power-Minnesota, Northern States Power-Wisconsin, Public Service Company of Colorado, and Southwestern Public Service Co.[4]
In December 2018, Xcel Energy announced it would deliver 100 percent clean, carbon-free electricity by 2050, with an 80 percent carbon reduction by 2035 (from 2005 levels). This makes Xcel the first major US utility to set such a goal."
So, a far left, whacky envirogroup is running the energy supply company. All you folks in those states need to be working with your state legislatures to prevent these crazies from screwing you over. They have a monopoly, approved by the states, and you cannot choose another energy supplier in their area of service. So, they have you by the short hairs and can crush you, easily.
Your only hope is in your state legislature, making these companies responsive to the people, in prices and in supply. If they actually try to do what they claim, there will be only a tiny percentage of the power needed for people to live normally.
The power company has basically declared war on it's MONOPOLY customers.
11 people like this.
Reply 20 - Posted by:
mc squared 9/1/2022 5:02:04 PM (No. 1265785)
$2.00 per month savings? Alexa should have told them it was a stupid decision but not everyone has a permanent snooper in their house.
11 people like this.
Reply 21 - Posted by:
formerNYer 9/1/2022 5:08:58 PM (No. 1265791)
Seems to me Colorado was much better off when it was Red.
10 people like this.
Reply 22 - Posted by:
GirlwithaCurl 9/1/2022 5:35:16 PM (No. 1265804)
So there will be a run on window units at the big box stores. They just don't get it!
7 people like this.
Reply 23 - Posted by:
Venturer 9/1/2022 5:57:33 PM (No. 1265821)
They cannot control my window shakers.
6 people like this.
Reply 24 - Posted by:
Corndoggies 9/1/2022 7:51:00 PM (No. 1265870)
We have an old house and for whatever reason one bedroom never had any duct work ran to it. We have a window unit in there we only turn on when guests or the dog sitter are staying with us. I’m never getting rid of that now lol.
4 people like this.
Reply 25 - Posted by:
paral04 9/1/2022 8:51:39 PM (No. 1265908)
Well, when you vote for idiots expect to be treated like one. It seems that there aren't many cities that are being run by sane people. Sorry Denver, you sked for it you got it!
2 people like this.
Reply 26 - Posted by:
bad-hair 9/1/2022 10:04:38 PM (No. 1265966)
In Denver ???
90 is not hot. T shirt, swim suit. Move slow. See you tomorrow.
135 in full military gear is hot.
2 people like this.
Reply 27 - Posted by:
Dodge Boy 9/1/2022 10:31:49 PM (No. 1265992)
Surprise! Another gotcha from Xcel.
1 person likes this.
Reply 28 - Posted by:
TXknitter 9/1/2022 11:49:14 PM (No. 1266039)
Smart electric meters were forced on us two years ago so meter readers no longer have to come onto our rural home to read the equipment. We initially said no even though they let us know it’s $15.00 more per month. We agreed. Eight months later, the electric company sent a letter saying you are getting a smart meter anyway.
4 people like this.
Reply 29 - Posted by:
SweetPea3 9/2/2022 1:19:54 AM (No. 1266098)
When these "smart" thermostats started appearing in the market place afew years ago, I immediately searched the big home box stores for my old round Honeywell which had been installed in my home 35 years ago. Surprise, they were not available, so I went online and ordered a duplicate. We recently had a new AC installed and the workmen offered a "smart" thermostat replacement, I said "No thanks" and had them install my new, "old dumb" Honeywell that I had ordered online.
Control my AC, will ya?
2 people like this.
Reply 30 - Posted by:
Old Army Vet 9/2/2022 11:37:34 AM (No. 1266468)
Ve arrr aallll goot Jermans, cheew vill enjoy it, like it or not.
0 people like this.
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Hmmmmm, I think they signed up for this with a $100 credit. Welp, nothing is free, right??