New Yorkers could soon get $25 a month for handing limited control of their thermostats to utilities, according to News10NBC. Gov. Kathy Hochul calls the proposal “Excelsior Power” and says it would ease strain on the electric grid.
The plan would reward customers who install smart thermostats and let utilities adjust temperatures a few degrees during peak demand. Rochester Gas and Electric and New York State Electric & Gas already run a similar voluntary summer program. About 38,000 households have joined since 2016.
Customers can override changes, but some residents say they don’t want utilities controlling their homes. Hochul wants lawmakers to include the incentive in the state budget.
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