Duke Energy remotely AC shut down.....

[GCharlotte]

Originally Posted by bs13690

I don't think it is a good idea to pay them to do something you could do yourself.

I've made $500 off the program. I don't like the idea of paying to get it installed though.

I had an amazing July electric bill mostly through conservation but that $8 helps too.

[paulosfm]

We are on the program, just for weeks like this one and the one a few weeks ago. It's about Duke managing demand so that we don't get hit with rolling brown outs (which can damage home electronics) or have a meltdown of the grid (remember ConEd problems in the past few years). I'll do my part if it means keeping grid from shutting down. As it is now, the nation's electricity consumption is on a razor's edge which could mean major outages at peak demand times, like we have seen recently in the midwest and on the eastern seaboard.

[yantosh22]

ConEd and Duke are totally different. ConEd hasn't invested in infrastructure. It's close to a 3rd world electrical grid up there. It's much like the rest of the crumbling NE infrastructure.

In contrast Duke Energy runs a 1st world modern electrical distribution system in the the SE. Blackouts and Brownouts are not the issue like they are in the NE. Instead, Duke doesn't want to buy power from other utilities during peak periods. It hits their bottom line which is why they offer this program.

[Sepulgeek]

I already keep my house between 78F-80F during the day. That includes when I am home. I conserve enough. I also have a Boston Terrier who gets hot easy. She is housed in a crate when we are not home. I do not need her getting too hot. Last thing I want to do is come home to a dead dog.

[Paige Layne]

Hey guys, I hope you don’t mind me joining in the conversation. I work at Duke Energy and actually provided the information for the Observer story, so I wanted to make sure the information was clear.

There is a one-time $35 installation fee for the equipment. Once on the program, you will receive an $8 credit each month July – October ($32), every year for as long as you’re on the program, so you break even in year two. And like some of you have shared, the key benefit of the program is the collective reduction in energy usage during peak demand times – generally mid to late afternoons during the dog days of summer.

During a Power Manager event, participating customers’ air conditioner compressor units are cycled off approximately 20 minutes every half hour. The indoor circulating fan is not affected and can continue to run, and most customers notice no change in their homes’ temperature.

More than 170,000 customers in the Carolinas voluntarily participate in our Power Manager program, which gives us about 100 megawatts of energy when the program is activated – that’s enough energy to power about 36,000 homes.

Power Manager is an excellent program that plays an important role in helping Duke Energy meet the overall energy needs of all customers in peak times; however, the program may not be for everyone. If you’re interested in, give us a call - 1.800.777.9898. If not, we certainly appreciate your personal energy-saving efforts

Thanks.

[sundrop]

Paige Sheehan ^

[amedlin]

I'm on Progress Energy's version, not Duke's. But I'm now having problems getting the systems to get back and running properly. Not sure how long they cycle off for, but I've come home twice now and the upstairs is 84 degrees instead of 75 like we have it set during the day.

And my downstairs unit seems to have frozen up a couple of times now, where I've had to shut if off completely over night just to get it working correctly by morning. I'm calling PE today to see what the deal is. If they don't have an assuring answer, I'm afraid they'll have to come and disable the remotes.