About the Pilot

Sign up for the program here.

You will have the option of participating in Energy Saving Hours in 2 different ways. You can sign up for Automatic or Manual savings. Automatic means that PECO will turn off your enrolled devices or adjust your thermostat 2 degrees during “Energy Saving Hours.” Manual means that you will receive a notification alerting you when to adjust your devices during “Energy Saving Hours” and how to do so.

You will need to download the Samsung SmartThings app and connect your selected devices before you download the Connect2Home app. That’s because our two apps work together. You can watch a video and learn more about how to do this on our tutorials page.

If you join the Savers group, you will be notified 3 times over the course of several weeks in August and September about “Energy Saving Hours.” If you join the Super Savers group, you will be participate in daily “Energy Saving Hours” opportunities for 2 weeks (Monday-Friday only) during August.

PECO is exploring how smart home technology and related apps can help customers reduce energy use during periods of high demand. The new PECO Connect2Home app leverages the Samsung SmartThings platform to connect and manage devices around the home. During periods of high demand, when usage tends to trend higher, customers are encouraged to reduce energy use.

PECO will identify periods of high demand during the pilot and ask customers to reduce their energy usage during these specially designated “Energy Saving Hours.” Customers can choose to participate in one of two groups: Savers or Super Savers. The Savers will be asked to participate in 3 Energy Saving Hours opportunities spread out over the course of several weeks. The Super Savers will be asked to participate every weekday for 2 consecutive weeks, Monday-Friday only. All customers will be compensated each time they participate.

For both groups, the PECO Connect2Home pilot will offer customers 2 ways to reduce during Energy Saving Hours: Automatically or Manually through the app. When customers choose AUTOMATIC, they opt for PECO to adjust devices for them during specially designated “Energy Saving Hours.” For those who prefer a more MANUAL approach, they can elect to participate in energy savings manually by controlling devices themselves through the app when notified.

Utilities often run pilot programs with a limited number of customers to test technologies or program designs before they roll them out to all customers. In many cases, the utility works with the Public Utility Commission to make sure that customers have a positive experience and clearly defined benefits.

Because this is a new app and the first time that PECO is using smart home technology specifically for the purposes of reducing energy use during periods of high or peak demand, this program will run for a limited time, August and September 2025, for a limited number of customers who volunteer.

Lastly, when PECO customers agree to participate in this pilot, they agree to have PECO and its partners analyze their energy usage data. Analysis will be recorded anonymously, and no personal energy usage information will be published or shared externally.  

For this pilot, 300 customers will be recruited. Customers can choose to participate as a “Saver” or a “Super Saver.” To enroll, customers must be the ones responsible for paying their PECO residential electric bill.

Of those 300 total participants, 200 must have a smart thermostat that is compatible with Samsung SmartThings and also have Wi-Fi at home. Click here for a list of the various compatible thermostats. For example: ecobee, Sensi, etc.

The last 100 customers will be recruited specifically from pre-identified multi-family apartments that are individually metered. If these customers do not have a smart thermostat, they will be given one. These customers must also have Wi-Fi in their homes.

The new PECO Connect2Home app uses the Samsung SmartThings platform to adjust devices in the home. To use the PECO Connect2Home app, customers must first download the Samsung SmartThings app and then connect their devices. The pilot team will provide instructional and technical support to all pilot participants.

Once PECO customers have connected their PECO Connect2Home app to Samsung SmartThings app, they will only use the PECO Connect2Home app moving forward. The PECO Connect2Home app allows customers to connect and manage devices in their home, so, when necessary, they can easily reduce their energy use.

Customers who sign up for the PECO Connect2Home pilot are agreeing to reduce energy use during specially designated “Energy Saving Hours” throughout the summer. This is typically done by raising the thermostat by 2 degrees. It could also mean lowering the temperature of an electric water heater by 2 degrees or delaying an electric dryer load until after the peak period. Energy Saving Hours may last up to four hours each. Customers can opt out or override automatically adjusted settings at any time.

For those in the Savers group, these special opportunities will take place 3 times between August and September. In exchange for their willingness to participate in the pilot as a Saver, participants will be compensated up to $50 in gift cards. Savers receive $20 at sign up and can receive up to an additional $30 for participating automatically or manually in each opportunity. Savers customers receive $10 for each opportunity in which they participate.

For those in the Super Savers group, Energy Saving Hours will take place once a day, Monday-Friday only, for a 2-week period. In exchange for their willingness to participate in the pilot as a Super Saver, participants will be compensated up to $70 in gift cards. Super Savers receive $20 at sign up and can receive up to an additional $50 for participating automatically or manually in daily opportunities. Super Savers customers receive $5 for each opportunity in which they participate.

Participation is voluntary for both the Savers and Super Savers groups. If they choose not to participate during one of the opportunities, they will not receive compensation.

Once customers have successfully set up their PECO Connect2Home app, they will receive information about how to select their method of participation during Energy Saving Hours. The options are Automatic or Manual. Customers can switch from one mode to the other at any time. When customers sign up for Automatic, they opt to allow PECO to adjust devices connected to the app. When customers select Manual, they will receive notifications and instructions on how to take action during opportunities (for example, raise the temperature on the thermostat).