Colorado Residents Denied Control of Thermostats

Xcel energy customers in Denver, Colorado were locked out of adjusting their own thermostats on Tuesday even as temperatures reached the 90s.According to local ABC news, the vice president of customer solutions and innovation at Xcel, Emmett Romine, said “Let’s remember that this is something that customers choose to be a part of based on the incentives.“Roughly 20,000 Xcel customers were denied control of their “smart thermostats” for hours and were informed it was an energy emergency. Romine said that the Colorado AC Rewards program was “voluntary” and that customers must give up their control in exchange for a $100 enrollment credit and a few other perks.According to Romine, “it helps everybody for people to participate in these programs. It is a bit uncomfortable for a short period of time, but it’s very, very helpful.” The Color …