Questions? Speak with a Power Hours customer care representative by calling M-F 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
1-855-227-2917
PSO Power Hours℠ Program Overview
Find the program below that best fits your lifestyle. In addition to bill credits and/or lower rates, all customers who enroll can get a $150 instant rebate toward select Honeywell Wi-Fi thermostats, making some models FREE†.
The Hands-on Way to Save: TIME OF DAY(TOD)
Lower your energy bill by shifting your energy usage to off-peak hours, such as running your dishwasher in the evenings or weekends.
Two-tier rate plan rewards you for using less electricity during peak times in the summer months of June thru October.
The Automatic Way to Save:
DIRECT LOAD CONTROL(DLC)
Designed to help lower your electricity bill and conserve electricity by being part of load control peak events
Earn bill credits for letting PSO minimally adjust your Honeywell thermostat no more than four degrees or cycle your compressor on/off in 15 or 30 minute increments during peak events.*
Savings of up to $40 per year1 with event bill credits of $2.50 per registered thermostat that participates in peak events from June thru October.
Savings information taken from 2016 - 2017 program year.
DIRECT LOAD CONTROL (DLC)
Program Overview:
The Direct Load Control program is a peak event program, designed to help you automatically lower your electricity bill and conserve energy. During the summer months, on the hottest days when many air conditioning units are running at the same time, demand for electricity peaks the system load.
As a participant in the DLC program you can help control the load. Your registered thermostat will receive a signal to enter an energy savings event or "peak event." During these events the target temperature on your thermostat will be raised no more than four degrees or your air conditioner compressor may be cycled on and off in varying increments. Your unit’s fan will continue to circulate cool air in your home, keeping you comfortable during the event. How much the temperature increases depends on several factors, including the outdoor temperature, your home’s insulation, your air conditioner’s efficiency, and the length of the event. Your air conditioner settings will return to normal when the peak event ends.
This type of event is called a non-emergency event and can be called up to 16 times, only on weekdays between the hours of 2pm – 7pm from June through October.
Customers who participate in these non-emergency events will earn event bill credits of $2.50 per event, up to up to $40 per year.
If needed, you may opt out of an event at the thermostat itself (depending on the
thermostat model) – a button will appear during an event. You can also opt out via the Honeywell thermostat apps or online through your TCC account (depending on the model). Opting out of a peak event will forfeit your event bill credit for that day. In the event of a system emergency, when the demand for electricity is too high, PSO may also call upon customers to participate in an emergency load-management event to prevent power brownouts or blackouts. These emergency load-management events do not count toward the total number of non-emergency/peak events as defined earlier and are not eligible for bill credits.
Program requirements:
To participate in any Power Hours program you must be a PSO residential customer with an AMI meter installed. The DLC program participants must also have central air conditioning, Wi-Fi service in their home, and have one of the eligible Honeywell Wi-Fi thermostats both installed and registered. PSO allows 6 weeks for you to complete this, after which you’ll be removed from the DLC program.
The TOD program is a two-tier rate plan that rewards participants for using electricity wisely each year from June – October. Participants will pay a lower rate for electricity used during off-peak hours (7 p.m. - 2 p.m. weekdays and all day on weekends) and higher rates during on-peak hours (2 p.m. - 7 p.m. weekdays).
By enrolling in the TOD program, you can save money simply by shifting your electricity usage to times of day when the rates are lower, such as doing laundry after 7 p.m. or running the dishwasher in the morning.
It’s so easy! The savings are in your hands!
Program requirements:
To participate in any Power Hours program, you must be a PSO residential customer with an AMI meter installed. The TOD program has no further eligibility requirements (you do not need a Wi-Fi thermostat or Wi-Fi in the home to participate.)
-You can receive a FREE Honeywell Wi-Fi thermostat after rebate. See your options on the Thermostat Rebate page (limit 2 per household). (A thermostat is not required to participate in TOD.)
- Shift more, save more. Enjoy savings of up to 30% each year.
Combine the benefits of both the Time of Day and Direct Load Control programs, and enjoy lower rates during off-peak times and bill credits during peak events (June – Oct).
Program requirements:
To participate in any Power Hours program, you must be a PSO residential customer with an AMI meter installed. Program participants who are in both TOD and DLC must also have central air conditioning, Wi-Fi service in their home, and have one of the eligible Honeywell Wi-Fi thermostats both installed and registered. PSO allows 6 weeks for you to complete this, after which you’ll be removed from the DLC program.
-You can receive a FREE Honeywell Wi-Fi thermostat after rebate. See your options on the Thermostat Rebate page (limit 2 per household). (A thermostat is not required to participate in TOD.)
- Shift more, save more. Enjoy savings of up to 30% each year PLUS receive up to $40.00 in bill credits each year for participating in scheduled peak events.
The VPP program is a three-tier rate plan in which participants will pay a lower rate for
electricity used during off-peak hours (when demand for electricity is less) and higher rates
for electricity used during on-peak hours (when demand for electricity is high).
Participants can save on their electric bills by shifting their energy usage from on-peak hours
during the summer months, to low- or medium-cost hours (low-cost hours: 11 p.m.-10 a.m.,
medium-cost hours: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 7 p.m.-11 p.m., high-cost hours: 2 p.m.-7 p.m. M-F).
Weekends and holidays are billed on low-cost hour prices.
During the peak season (June – October) when demand for electricity is high, PSO can call up to
16 critical peak events when their price for electricity will be 75 cents per kWh during the
peak hours of 2 p.m.-7 p.m.
Customers are notified via email by 4pm the previous evening prior to a critical peak event. This will give customers the opportunity to make any necessary adjustments to decrease their electric usage during the 2pm – 7pm timeframe.
This optional rate plan also has a one-year “hold harmless” clause, which means that if a customer pays more than what they would have paid on the standard residential rate, PSO will reimburse the customer the difference after one year. In order to participate in a Power Hours program, you must be a PSO customer and have an AMI meter. It is not required to have a Honeywell Wi-Fi thermostat to participate in the VPP program.
Program Requirements:
To participate in any Power Hours program, you must be a PSO residential customer with an AMI meter installed. The VPP program has no further eligibility requirements (you do not need a Wi-Fi thermostat or Wi-Fi in the home to participate.)
-You can receive a FREE Honeywell Wi-Fi thermostat after rebate. See your options on the Thermostat Rebate page (limit 2 per household). (A thermostat is not required to participate in VPP.)
- Shift more, save more. Enjoy savings of up to 30% each year
"I probably saved about 20 to 30% each month on my bills through the Power Hours program."- Mitch H.
"I think it’s a great program for not only helping the environment and cutting down on usage but also as a great way to save on your bill."- Daniel P.
"If we can make better use of the energy we have, everyone benefits."- Patrick H.
"Day to day it saves you money without you worrying about it."- Tim W.
"It’s just a good program overall, and it does save money. A great deal."- Margie S.
"You do get the good feeling of the environmental support. And how many environmental support activities do you get to engage in that actually save you money?"- James A.
"I really like the (thermostat) control from your home. You don’t have to get up."- Joe S.
"I think what I like most is that I can get the app on my phone, and I can adjust the thermostat as I need it."- Billie H.
"It’s been really easy to control my usage."- Jade P.
"Convenient and Efficient. We save money and mobility."- Ping M.
"The peak hours are pretty much the time when not many people are at home in my house, so it is not intruding on our lifestyle."- Tabitha M.
"I like the fact that it motivated me to use the electricity when I really need it."- Cynthia B.
"I really like conserving power and anything we can do to help the environment is absolutely critical."- Jean L.
"It was easy to do, the equipment was easy to install. It was hassle free."- John H.
"Nice to be able to control the temp in my house from the office."- Scott G.