Frequently Asked Questions

Energy Wise Rewards for Business is a voluntary program available to eligible business customers who want to save on their energy bill. For Maryland business customers that enroll a qualifying smart thermostat, on select days, Pepco may automatically adjust the temperature setting on your enrolled thermostat to help balance the region’s demand for electricity. These events are known as “conservation periods.” You can adjust your thermostat at any time if the temperature is not appropriate for your business. By participating, you can receive monthly bill credits while helping support a more reliable energy grid.

No. Participation is voluntary, and there is no cost to participate.

To qualify for Energy Wise Rewards for Business, you must be a business, nonprofit, congregation or other commercial customer that has an eligible smart thermostat connected to a compatible central air-conditioning system or heat pump and receives an electric bill directly from Pepco.

The following equipment does not qualify for Energy Wise Rewards for Business:

• Geothermal heat pumps, also known as GeoExchange, earth-coupled, ground-source or water-source heat pumps

• Evaporative coolers, also known as swamp, desert or air coolers

• Smart thermostats controlled by alarm or automation systems

Still have questions about whether your business or smart thermostat qualifies? Please contact us before enrolling at 1-866-353-5798.

The number of bill credits you receive during the calendar year may depend on when your eligible smart thermostat is successfully enrolled in Energy Wise Rewards for Business. Customers who enroll later in the year may not receive all available bill credits for that calendar year.

Peak energy demand occurs when everyone uses a large amount of electricity at the same time, placing stress on the supply of energy. The frequency of critical peak demand periods has increased as the population and use of electric equipment have grown. Energy Wise Rewards for Business is just one way Pepco is managing the rising demand for electricity, averting power outages, and helping the environment by reducing emissions produced on days with extreme weather.

The number of conservation periods depends on many factors, including weather, peak electricity demand and wholesale energy costs. Energy Wise Rewards for Business may be activated during periods of high electricity demand, system testing or emergency conditions. As a result, there may be as few as one or two conservation events, or as many as a dozen. All customers enrolled in Energy Wise Rewards for Business will be informed prior to a conservation event taking place.

PJM Interconnection may also initiate an emergency event when necessary to help maintain the reliability of the regional electric grid. Because grid conditions are unpredictable, Pepco cannot determine in advance how often these emergency events may occur.

PJM Interconnection is the regional organization responsible for coordinating the flow of electricity and maintaining the reliability of the energy grid across Maryland and other states in the Mid-Atlantic region. PJM monitors electricity demand and grid conditions and works with electric utilities to help ensure reliable service for businesses and other customers.

Regular conservation periods typically occur on weekday afternoons and can last from two to four hours. However, if PJM Interconnection initiates a grid emergency event for reliability reasons, the event will continue until the situation is resolved. Because emergency conditions are unpredictable, Pepco cannot determine in advance how long this type of event will last. As Energy Wise Rewards for Business participants, your business may be asked to reduce electricity use as part of these efforts.

Yes. If you participate in Energy Wise Rewards for Business with your own eligible Wi-Fi-enabled smart thermostat, you can opt out of a conservation period or PJM emergency event by adjusting the temperature setting directly on your thermostat or through your thermostat’s mobile app.

Yes. Only you can decide what is appropriate for you and your business. During a conservation period, the temperature setting on your enrolled smart thermostat may be temporarily adjusted. Please consider whether this potential temperature change could affect anyone at your business before enrolling. If the temperature is not appropriate for your business during a conservation period, you can opt out by adjusting the setting on your smart thermostat.

During a conservation period, the temperature setting on your enrolled smart thermostat may be temporarily adjusted, which could affect the temperature inside your business. Factors such as building insulation, shaded windows, ceiling fans and foot traffic may also affect indoor temperatures. If the temperature is not appropriate for your business, you can opt out of the conservation period by adjusting the setting on your smart thermostat.

Enrolled Energy Wise Rewards for Business participants will receive email communications about conservation periods. Pepco will also post a notification banner on the Energy Wise Rewards for Business webpage when a conservation period is in progress.

During a conservation period, the temperature setting on your enrolled smart thermostat may be temporarily adjusted. Depending on your thermostat manufacturer, you may also receive a notification through your thermostat or its mobile app.

Yes. Maryland and the broader region are experiencing increasing electricity demand while the supply of available power is becoming tighter. Extreme weather can place additional pressure on the energy grid, making emergency events possible during the summer and other periods of high electricity demand. If a PJM grid emergency event occurs, customers enrolled with an eligible Wi-Fi-enabled smart thermostat may opt out by adjusting it.

Pepco customers use more energy during the summer season than at other times of the year. As the area grows and more new and existing customers install central air conditioners, demand for electricity reaches higher peaks in the summer, putting a strain on the energy grid. Participating in Energy Wise Rewards for Business helps reduce strain on the electric grid and the risk of brownouts and blackouts during periods of high energy demand.

Pepco, participating smart thermostat manufacturers and Pepco’s program partner, Connected Savings, will treat customer data as confidential and use it only to administer the program. For evaluation, measurement and verification purposes, smart thermostat data may also be aggregated and included in reports submitted to the Maryland Public Service Commission.

For more information, please review the applicable Program Rules and Customer Agreement here.

Yes. Energy Wise Rewards for Business must be able to communicate with your enrolled smart thermostat, which requires an active Wi-Fi connection. Temporary outages may not significantly affect your participation, but your thermostat must generally remain connected to your business’s Wi-Fi network to participate in the program. You may be removed from the program if your thermostat remains disconnected for an extended period.