The Quiet Campaign to Let Utility Companies Control Your Appliances

Ohio – which has a Republican governor and Republican supermajorities in both chambers of the legislature – has become the latest state to consider legislation allowing utility companies to seize control of thermostats during heat waves or shut off hot water during peak demand in the name of protecting the power grid. Other states are considering similar measures that critics say represent an egregious violation of private property rights and shift blame to customers for the failure of politicians and utility companies to improve grid capacity and reliability.

The legislation under consideration in the Buckeye State is being sold as an effort to “modernize Ohio’s energy regulations and help homeowners and small businesses save money while improving electric grid reliability.” The bill would create “voluntary demand response programs, where participating customers can allow utilities to temporarily adjust energy usage, such as raising thermostat settings or cycling water heaters, during periods of high demand.”

Rep. Klopfenstein claims customers could “override these actions” and that other states have implemented similar programs with success.

“Demand response programs have proven to be a vital tool for our large commercial users, and it’s important that similar programs are made available to residential and small commercial users,” the Republican claimed. “These programs will ease the strain on our energy grid and save money for all Ohioans.”

But the experience of other states shows that these promises are paper thin, and there’s no guarantee customers will always be able to “override” the controls.

Colorado serves as a cautionary tale. There, Xcel Energy operates a voluntary program that also promised tens of thousands of residents they could override the controls if they chose.

But during an “energy emergency” caused by equipment failure in 2022, ABC News’s Denver affiliate reported that Coloradans “learned they had no control over the temperatures in their own homes” even as a heat wave washed over the state.

“I mean, it was 90 out, and it was right during the peak period,” Tony Talarico told the outlet. “It was hot.” Talarico said that “normally” he is able to override the thermostat lock, but “[i]n this case, we weren’t. So, our thermostat was locked in at 78 or 79.”

Asked for comment, the utility company shockingly blamed the customers and emphasized that they signed up for the program (leaving out that they were promised they could bypass the controls).

“It’s a voluntary program,” an Xcel spokesman told the news outlet. “Let’s remember that this is something that customers choose to be a part of based on the incentives.”

But as Colorado Public Radio noted, the utility program changed the rules in the middle of the game. While the program says it can be used during “the hottest summer days,” it said nothing about “thermostat adjustments due to equipment failures.”

Other states have proposed going much further, taking away any agency for consumers and forcing them into the program. A bill in Connecticut, for instance, backed by both Democrats and Republicans, would give utility companies the same ability to take over not just thermostats and water heaters, but also electric cars, inverting the batteries to put power back into the grid.

Some people fear that this is part of a larger plan to restrict energy usage and make government even more invasive in the lives of everyday Americans. “This legislation is a slippery slope toward centralized, government control of private energy use,” Chris Herb, CEO and president of Connecticut Energy Marketers Association, said in April. “It erodes personal choice, home comfort, and the basic right to control appliances and vehicles you paid for with your own money. When does it end?”

Others have pointed out that the companies are charging customers more for not having smart meters, which could coerce Social Security recipients and other low-income individuals into signing up to save money. The program may appear to give customers free will, but imposed costs for not complying will effectively force many to submit to allowing utility companies to control their air conditioner and other appliances.

“Participation in programs like AC Rewards [in Minnesota] will be voluntary at first, but like the $180 fee, I predict the extra costs associated with not allowing the utility to control your power will eventually become cost-prohibitive, especially for low-income families and businesses,” Isaac Orr, an energy researcher with the Center of the American Experiment, warned in 2024.

These “voluntary” programs all start the same way: they come into houses under the guise of installing helpful “smart meters” with the supposedly altruistic goal of helping Americans save a few dollars on electricity. Oftentimes the companies even offer $100 or more as a “gift” for compliance.

However, when the grid gets overwhelmed, for any reason, the companies can take control and shut down air, heat, and hot water. Instead of focusing on fixing the problems underlying the grid failures – like overreliance on wind and solar, the decommissioning of fossil fuels plants, and decades of deferred maintenance – the companies simply turn the blame and burden back onto the customer.

Americans should be wary of such programs as they continue to gain popularity among utility company executives, bureaucrats, and politicians nationwide. While they promise lower power bills, that may come at the cost of personal freedom and comfort.

Ultimately, public utility companies exist to serve the public and cater to their convenience – not the other way around.

Matt Lamb is a contributor for AMAC Newsline and an associate editor for The College Fix. He previously worked for Students for Life of America, Students for Life Action, and Turning Point USA. He previously interned for Open the Books. His writing has also appeared in the Washington Examiner, The Federalist, LifeSiteNews, Human Life Review, Headline USA, and other outlets. The opinions expressed are his own. Follow him @mattlamb22 on X.