Colorado Woman Says Smart Thermostat Wouldn’t Let Her Lower the Temperature — ‘You Are Not Allowed’

A video circulating online has sparked discussion after a Colorado woman said her smart thermostat warned her she could not lower the temperature.

"My own thermostat was 79 — it had a little warning that said, 'You are not allowed to lower your thermostat set point because the energy grid in your regional area is stressed,'" the woman says in the video. According to the post, the thermostat is connected to Xcel Energy in Colorado.

According to the post, the woman enrolled in Xcel's voluntary demand-response program. The program offers new participants sign-on credits of about $50-$150. By enrolling, customers allow Xcel to adjust their thermostat settings during certain periods.

The woman says the opt-out process should be easier for households with infants or elderly residents. She also notes that participation is not mandatory.

Viewers debate whether thermostats should be remotely controlled

Some commenters criticized remote thermostat controls, while others argued that the woman had agreed to the program's terms.

One X commenter wrote, "In any state i have seen this is all opt-in. They ask you to opt in to these to lower your bill. They are paying people in order to do this, what makes you think this will be mandatory? Then what are they going to stop selling window AC units, i'm sure that will fly over real well in the US... No one is going to dictate your house temp."

"So what's the issue? She opted into a program and took the money, now she wants what she signed away. Maybe the company should have just showed up and handed her a wad of cash and just left? She probably would have found something wrong w that too. Stupidity," said another X user.

Demand-response programs are designed to reduce electricity use during periods of high demand. Power grids can come under strain during periods of extreme temperatures. Periods of extreme heat and cold can increase electricity demand, which can put additional strain on the grid.

Conserving energy is not something people always want to do, but it is something people should begin thinking seriously about. Programs like Xcel Energy's help incentivize people while also not forcing them to participate. It is something that we should be thinking about more often. Power is not necessarily a guaranteed thing, even though many think that it is.

The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the circumstances shown in the video or the claims made by the woman about her thermostat and Xcel Energy's program.