DEPARTMENT

POLICY & PROCEDURE

RESIDENTIAL THERMOSTAT DEMAND RESPONSE PILOT

DPP NUMBER DPP 500 P III-433

EFFECTIVE DATE 05/03/2024 SUPERSEDES 06/29/2023

APPROVED BY

1.0 PURPOSE:

This policy establishes a residential thermostat demand response pilot program called "TempWise", under the authority granted by Ordinance 125957. This pilot opens a distributed energy resource management system ("DERMS") platform to City Light customers who have installed compatible, Wi-Fi enabled thermostats in their homes. Pilot enrollment will provide customers opportunities to earn incentives in exchange for allowing City Light and its subconsultant shared access and control to their smart thermostats. A component of City Light's Clean Energy Implementation Plan, this pilot will incrementally reduce participating customers' energy usage for limited durations during designated times for City Light's peak reduction, capacity management, and other utility goals. The pilot is completely voluntary, a customer may always opt out of the program or any participation.

2.0 PROGRAM DESIGN:

2.1 Pilot Eligibility. A City Light customer is eligible to apply for the pilot if they:

a) Are a residential customer listed as the accountholder of record; and

b) Are 18 years of age or older; and

c) Permanently reside at the premises associated with the utility account; and

d) Operate pilot-compatible electric heating and/or cooling equipment ("Equipment") (i.e. heat pump, central AC, electric forced air furnace, or electric baseboard) that is continuously controlled by an eligible Wi-Fi enabled thermostat ("Device"); and

e) Maintain a continuous and operational Wi-Fi connection between Device and the internet service, without use of hot spots; and

f) Agree to all pilot Terms & Conditions.

To remain eligible to participate in the pilot, the participant must allow City Light and its contractors / subcontractors ("Utility Pilot Parties") to access and control the Device and change its settings. Throughout the full, consecutive pilot term, the participant is wholly responsible for maintaining, repairing, and/or replacing any Devices, Equipment, and related systems as needed to ensure that they are fully operational and reliable. Related systems include but are not limited to Wi-Fi and internet services. Maintaining internet services means but is not limited to: continuing to retain an ISP for internet services; fully paying for ISP internet services on timely bases so as not to jeopardize the continuity of services; promptly contacting the ISP when ISP internet services are impaired, and asking that any impairments be fixed.

2.2 Program Size. Pilot participation will be limited to 3,000 customers. If the Pilot becomes full, additional eligible applicants will be placed on a waiting list.

2.3 Enrollment and Selection. Applications will be accessible at the Pilot Microsite Webpage. Only certain thermostats are eligible for participation in the pilot due to the limited scope and budget of the program. Eligible thermostat owners will be notified through their OEMs and/or owners can verify eligibility on the TempWise program website.

2.4 Events. During an "Event", participants will see their Device's temperature setpoint automatically adjusted by a maximum of three degrees Fahrenheit for up to three consecutive hours. At the end of the Event, the Device's temperature will be returned to the original setpoint.

There will be up to fifteen (15) Events for the summer season from June 1 to October 31 , and up to fifteen (15) Events for the winter season from November 1 to March 31. During the summer season, Events will occur between 1 pm to 7 pm and during the winter season they will occur between 6 am to 10 pm. Events will not occur on weekends or holidays.

2.5 Event Participation and Opt-Out. A pilot participant will receive notice of an Event via smartphone app, email, text, device, or other reasonable means. The notice will contain opt-out instructions, and a participant may choose to opt out of any Event. City Light will never interfere with a participant's opt-out decision.

2.6 Incentive Payments. Pilot participants will be eligible to receive the following monetary incentives through May 2025:

a. Initial Incentive: A $50.00 payment if a Pilot Participant:

i. Is eligible for the Pilot; and

ii. Successfully completes the enrollment process by connecting their device, and

iii. Did not previously receive the $50.00 payment in the Pilot's First Year.

b. Summer Incentive: A $20.00 payment for summer participation if a Pilot Participant:

i. Has an eligible Equipment as identified in the Terms and Conditions; and

ii. Has an eligible Device; and

iii. Remains enrolled through the end of the summer season.

c. Winter Incentive: A $20.00 payment for winter participation if a Pilot Participant:

i. Has an eligible Equipment as identified in the Terms and Conditions; and

ii. Has an eligible Device; and

iii. Remains enrolled through the end of the winter season.

Incentives are limited to one per household. Enrolling more than one Device in the same household will not result in additional incentive payments.

Participants will receive their incentive in the form of a check mailed to their account address within 45 days of enrollment, and 45 days of the end of the season.

If the Pilot extends beyond the First Year, this paragraph will be amended to reflect any subsequent year's incentive structure. Future incentives payments are dependent on City Light receiving City budget authority for this expenditure.

2.7 Privacy and Data Security. Throughout the pilot, data will be collected and used to determine eligibility, to enroll customers into the pilot, and to execute other activities connected to evaluating the pilot's effectiveness. Pilot data includes but is not limited to Personally Identifying Information ("PII") such as a customer's name and residential address; customer's energy usage and/or energy production; customer's utility account; customer's electric bills; information registered, recorded, or collected by the customer's Device; and other customer information related to the pilot. Utility Pilot Parties shall be contractually bound to protect PII consistent with the City's Privacy Policy and SMC 21.49.095. Pilot data may be subject to mandatory disclosures pursuant to rules, regulations, ordinances, laws, orders, and directives, including but not limited to, the Washington state's Public Records Act (RCW 42.56).

2.8 Communications. City Light and Utility Pilot Parties will use email, mail, text, call, survey, or other reasonable means of communication to correspond with participants about their activities related to the pilot, unless the participant explicitly opts out of seasonal event SMS or email notification. Communication may include but is not limited to, correspondence about Device adjustments or about fulfilling pilot participant duties. Participants should immediately notify City Light at SCL_TempWise@Seattle.gov of any changes (e.g., discontinuation, porting) of their landline phone numbers, mobile phone numbers, mailing addresses, and email addresses.

2.9 Unenrollment. A participant may request to withdraw from the pilot at any time without forfeiting the $50.00 enrollment incentive but will not be eligible to earn future enrollment incentives if they reenroll. If the participant withdraws from the pilot prior to participating in seasonal events, the participant will not be eligible for any participation incentives. A pilot participant may reenroll by submitting a new eligible application and if they have not been terminated due to misrepresentation, fraud, interference, improper conduct, or non-compliance.

2.10 Pilot Sunset. The pilot will end no later than May 2026.

3.0 REFERENCES:

3.1 Ordinance 125957, which grants authority for the Department to offer term-limited pilot programs to study demand response and low-income assistance programs.

3.2 SMC 21.49.095 Advanced Metering Infrastructure

3.3 Res 32040 Clean Energy Implementation Plan, WAC 194-40-330(2) and RCW 19.405.060(2a).

3.4 TempWise Pilot Terms and Conditions

3.5 City Light Privacy Policy

3.6 RCW 42.56 Washington State Public Records Act

4.0 APPENDIX:

4.1 Distribution: Posted online @ Seattle City Light Public Policies

REVISION HISTORY:

DATE CHANGES MADE REVISED BY

5/3/2024 This is a revision to the DPP issued in 2023 to update rules for the continuation of the pilot for the 2nd year of the program called "TempWise" offered by City Light. Author: Emma Johnson, Carsten Croff

Coordinator: Kim Kinney