How does Santee Cooper Rewards smart thermostat program work?

On extremely hot or cold days, energy demand can spike so much that getting power to everyone who needs it can become inefficient — and expensive. On those days, we may schedule a smart thermostat event. This means we'll connect to your smart thermostat to shift some of your energy use away from the hours when demand is highest. We appreciate your flexibility, and to keep you comfortable, we’ll pre-heat or pre-cool your home before the event begins.  

As part of the Rewards community, you and other participants partner with us to manage energy demand, helping keep the grid stable while continuing to keep you comfortable.

Here are a few more specifics:

·       The Santee Cooper Rewards program runs year-round, so we'll heat and/or cool your home according to the seasons.

·       The winter/heating season runs from Nov. 1 to March 31.

·       The summer/cooling season runs from April 1 to Oct. 31.

·       We'll only adjust your thermostat during smart thermostat events, which could happen up to 30 times per year and run a maximum of four hours each. The rest of the time, your thermostat will run on your normal schedule unless it is adjusted by you. 

We'll always let you know ahead of time when a smart thermostat event is scheduled, and we reward you for your participation annually.