Frequently Asked Questions

Prices in the energy market change from hour to hour and day to day based on demand. This program tells you when the prices are going to be high so that you can use less energy and possibly save money on your electric bill. In addition, if PowerCentsDC proves successful, it will provide benefits and opportunities to all customers in the District of Columbia by reducing demand for energy when costs are high and helping protect the environment.

You may be able to save money if you pay attention to WHEN you use energy, as well as HOW MUCH. If you make no changes in your energy use you will pay, on average, the same amount over a twelve month period as on the Pepco Standard Offer Service (your current electricity price). Since not all customers are average, if you make no change, you could pay a small amount less over the course of the year, or you could pay a small amount more.

SMPPI (Smart Meter Pilot Program, Inc.) is a non-profit organization, formed when Pepco and Conectiv merged. Pepco is one of the participants, along with the DC Public Service Commission, the DC Office of the People’s Counsel, the DC Consumer Utility Board, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. SMPPI is responsible for the PowerCentsDC program.

Only a random sample of about 1,400 customers were invited to participate in the summer of 2007. We had tremendous response from customers and we are not seeking any volunteers at this time.

We are not seeking volunteers at this time.

PowerCentsDC is a two year test program that will provide information to help determine what rate options should be offered to customers in the future. Participants will be provided additional details by letter before the program starts in mid-July, 2008.

Yes, Pepco will still be your electric company. They will continue to respond to outages and will still send you your monthly bill.

No. You will receive one bill from Pepco for the monthly charges owed. An Electric Usage Report will be enclosed with your bill. It provides detail regarding your power use and the cost associated with each day. In addition, you will receive tips on how to change your usage consumption in ways that allow you to save money.

No. There is no cost to participate in PowerCentsDC.

You don’t need to buy any special equipment. Pepco will install a “smart meter” at your home that uses advanced technology to measure hourly energy usage. The meter will remain in place at the conclusion of the program. In addition, a limited number of customers with central air-conditioning will be offered a free smart thermostat on a first come, first served basis.

A smart meter tracks how much energy you consume and when. The smart meter also contains communication capability to send this information over a communication network to the utility office.

If your meter is located in an area that can be accessed by Pepco staff, you will not need to be home for installation. Pepco will attempt installation and will leave a door hanger indicating that they were there. The door hanger will either note a successful installation or indicate you need to call the specified number to make access arrangements.

A smart thermostat operates with virtually all popular central heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. It provides consumers robust programming options to automate temperature control and provides other indicators regarding electric use to the homeowner.

PowerCentsDC participants who have central air conditioning are eligible for the smart thermostat option. The thermostats will be distributed on a first come, first served basis to those who have air conditioning and ask for a thermostat.

The thermostat will be installed by qualified technicians. You will receive operating instructions for the thermostat at the time of installation.

No, you will not have the option of retail choice while part of the PowerCentsDC program because the supplier determines how the energy charges are structured.

If you agree to participate in PowerCentsDC you will be placed on the PowerCentsDC rate class for the duration of your program participation. Participants will not be allowed to switch between programs. The rates for PowerCentsDC were designed to be revenue neutral for the average customer when applied over a twelve month period.

You can reduce electricity use during higher priced hours by raising your thermostat in the summer or lowering it in the winter. You may also change the time when you do laundry, turn off lights or other appliances, and schedule errands or shopping so you are out of the house during higher priced hours. More tips can be found on the Energy Saving Tips page.

In the event of a Critical Peak event day, PowerCentsDC will attempt to notify each participant the day prior to the CP day, so that the customer may take any desired measures to reduce their electricity usage during peak hours. The PowerCentsDC.org website will also have details of the CP day. Please see the Notification FAQ for more details.

If you are currently on the Average Payment Plan you can remain on the plan and participate in the PowerCentsDC program. You cannot move to the APP program while participating in the PowerCentsDC program.

The baseline is determined by a computer program which selects three days during the billing month when your electricity usage is most like what it would be on the critical peak day. The baseline is your usage during the same four peak hours - 2 pm to 6 pm in summer, and 6 am to 8 am and 6 pm to 8 pm in winter - averaged over those three days.