Smart Savings Rewards FAQ

• RG&E's voluntary demand response program is designed to reward you for reducing your electricity use during periods of high demand for electricity, while helping the environment and reliability of the electricity grid.

• Participants agree to brief, limited events which adjust their temperature during peak electric demand periods from May 1 through September 30, excluding holidays. You can anticipate at least one event, and a maximum of up to 15 adjustments per summer. Peak demand periods typically occur on hot, humid days.

• Participants will receive a $20 bill credit at the end each season as long as they stay enrolled and participate in at least one thermostat adjustment without opting out. RG&E's electricity customers who have installed a qualifying connected thermostat controlling their central air conditioning system are eligible. These participants will receive an $70 virtual prepaid Mastercard® after being accepted into the program.

• RG&E has partnered with EnergyHub to oversee and implement the Smart Savings Rewards program.

The program:

• Supports New York state’s energy initiatives.

• Protects our environment by lowering emissions.

• Helps reduce the cost of peak energy in our region.

To be eligible to enroll, you must meet the following qualifications:

1. You are a RG&E electricity customer.

2. You use your thermostat to control your central air conditioning.

3. You have an installed, eligible connected thermostat.

You can find the program terms and conditions for all thermostat providers below:

If you are a central air conditioning customer, follow these steps:

• Confirm your eligibility for the Smart Savings Rewards with these three questions:

  1. Are you a RG&E electric customer

  2. Do you have a central air conditioning system?

  3. Will you allow RG&E to make brief, limited thermostat adjustments on high energy usage days in the summer?

• If you confirm these three questions, please choose whether you have an internet-connected thermostat to enroll in Smart Savings Rewards or if you would like to purchase an existing thermostat.

• If you have an existing thermostat, please select your thermostat among the eligible models. If you don’t have an existing eligible thermostat, please choose a model, purchase and install it. Once you have installed and activated, come back to enroll your new thermostat in Smart Savings Rewards.

• Click the Enroll Now button to go to your thermostat’s enrollment site, where you’ll follow a series of simple steps to enroll. The applicant’s name must match the name on your RG&E electricity account or be an authorized party on your RG&E electricity account.

• Once your eligibility is confirmed, you will be enrolled in the program. You will receive an email notification on your eligibility status.

Customers with central air conditioning who have enrolled their eligible, connected thermostat will receive an $70 Prepaid Mastercard within four to six weeks of being accepted into the program.

When you participate in temperature adjustments throughout the summer season, you’ll receive a $20 bill credit per account. If you opt-out of all adjustments this season, you will not receive the $20 participation bill credit. The $20 bill credit will be processed at the end of the season and appear on your electricity bill. Depending on your bill schedule, the bill credit may appear on the 1st or 2nd bill after the season ends.

If you participate in temperature adjustments throughout the summer season, your bill credit will appear within the “Miscellaneous charges” section of your invoice, as highlighted below. This section may also include other unrelated charges, taxes, or credits that normally appear here such as the Payment & billing charges and taxes shown in the example below.

• At the start of an event, your temperature will be automatically adjusted up to 4 degrees above the current temperature.

• The adjustment will typically last no more than 4 hours, and will occur between 1 and 7 pm.

• Once the temperature adjustment is over, your temperature will return to its normal set point and/or schedule.

• In some cases, your temperature might be adjusted down 3 degrees prior to an adjustment event to pre-cool your home or business.

• You can opt out of a temperature adjustment at any time from your mobile device, web browser, or thermostat. For the majority of devices, when you opt out of the pre-cool, you are also opting out of the temperature adjustment. If you own an ecobee device, you must also opt out of the temperature adjustment.

Depending on your thermostat provider, notifications may appear on the thermostat or in your web or mobile application.

Temperature adjustments will only affect the temperature by a few degrees, with minimal impact on comfort. And you can easily opt out of a temperature adjustment at any time, for any reason. Your temperature adjustment participation is voluntary.

For the majority of devices, when you opt out of the pre-cool, you are also opting out of the temperature adjustment. If you own an ecobee device, you must also opt out of the temperature adjustment.

Yes, you are eligible to participate and will receive a $20 bill credit for participating in temperature adjustments throughout the summer season. Simply enroll your new thermostat in Smart Savings Rewards.

• Enroll your new thermostat at smartsavingsrewards.com if you’ve replaced your thermostat with a different manufacturer/provider’s thermostat.

• Enrollment is automatic if you replace your Nest or Alarm.com/Vivint thermostat with an eligible thermostat from the same provider.

• For all other thermostat replacements, please email nyseg-rge@energyhub.com to enroll in the program.

Please keep in mind enrollment incentives are only available for new program enrollments and not for replacing a new thermostat.

• Send an email to nyseg-rge@energyhub.com requesting to end your participation in the Smart Savings Rewards program. Un-enrolling from the program will end your participation for all your enrolled thermostats.

• You will not be eligible for the $20 event participation incentive if you un-enroll from the program.

If you have additional questions, you can email nyseg-rge@energyhub.com for support.