Ohio lawmaker wants to allow utilities to adjust homeowners’ thermostats, water heaters

Ohio lawmakers are considering a new energy initiative that would allow utilities to temporarily adjust residents’ thermostats and water heaters — but only for customers who voluntarily sign up.

House Bill 427, introduced this week in the General Assembly, proposes an opt-in “demand response” program designed to ease pressure on the state’s electric grid during times of peak demand, such as extreme heat waves in summer or freezing temperatures in winter.

Rep. Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland), who sponsored the legislation, said the measure expands a tool already proven effective for larger commercial users. “Demand response programs have proven to be a vital tool for our large commercial users, and it’s important that similar programs are made available to residential and small commercial users,” Klopfenstein said.

If enacted, the bill would permit households that enroll to authorize their utility to remotely adjust smart thermostats up or down, or briefly cycle water heaters off, when energy consumption surges.