COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A new Ohio bill encourages utility companies to launch programs to remotely adjust participating customers’ thermostat settings and other energy use during times of peak demand.
House Bill 427, introduced by Rep. Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland) in late August, would establish a framework for voluntary demand response programs, which incentivize customers to reduce demand on the power grid by offering them reduced rates.
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“This legislation is a crucial step in our state’s comprehensive plan to ensure all Ohioans have access to reliable, affordable and readily available energy,” Klopfenstein said in a news release.
Customers who opt into a program would grant a utility company access to temporarily lessen their energy use by adjusting thermostat and water heater temperatures, along with intermittently cycling other appliances, according to the bill…