Flex Smart is a voluntary program that uses thermostats to help reduce electricity demand during Flex events, supporting the grid and helping meet our region’s growing energy needs.

Enrollment is available to both residential and business customers who have an AMI meter, whose heating or cooling is provided by PSE electricity, and who have qualifying Wi-Fi-enabled smart thermostats.

Since Flex Smart will only make small, limited adjustments, you will likely not see any savings on your PSE bill. Instead, you will receive incentive payments from PSE in the form of a customer-selected electronic gift card or paycard. Tenants enrolled through the Multifamily Retrofit program will receive a $25 flat bill credit each April, provided they are the current account holder.

Get tips on how to save energy and reduce your PSE bill.

Customers who are currently enrolled in a TOU rate plan (Sch. 307 or Sch. 327) are eligible to simultaneously enroll in Flex Smart.

Residential customers who do not have a qualifying thermostat can purchase one at the PSE Marketplace and receive a $75 rebate instantly at checkout! After you install the thermostat, you will get up to $50 per device for enrollment in Flex Smart, plus participation rewards of up to $20 per device each season.

Your rewards depend on the type of thermostat(s) you enroll and how long you stay enrolled.

Smart thermostat participants (Nest, Sensi, Honeywell, Amazon, Ecobee) get $50 per device for enrolling, plus $20 per device for each season (winter and summer) you stay enrolled. Line-voltage connected thermostat participants, also known as heating boards (Mysa, Sinopé) get $20 per device for enrolling, plus $10 per device for each season (winter) you stay enrolled. Multifamily tenants enrolled via the Multifamily Retrofit program receive a $25 bill credit each April for their participation in winter events. 

Enrolling in Flex Smart automatically unenrolls you from Flex Rewards.

Flex Smart is administered on behalf of PSE by Uplight, which oversees program implementation, payment processing and customer support. Enrolled customers can manage their accounts through the FlexSaver portal provided by Uplight. For the fastest assistance, you can contact Uplight's customer support directly at support@pseflex.com or by calling 1-888-793-9347.

Enrolling your thermostat requires that your home or business be equipped with an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) meter, the current standard for metering technology that facilitates two-way communication between meters and PSE. As part of PSE’s Meter Upgrade Project, nearly 2 million meters in our service area were upgraded to AMI between 2018 and 2023. For more information, please visit the Meter Upgrade Project.

If you have opted out of PSE communication with your meter, you will be ineligible to enroll or unenrolled if previously enrolled in a PSE Flex program.

To maintain your comfort during a Flex event, your thermostat may pre-heat (temperature setting is increased) or pre-cool (temperature setting is decreased) prior to a Flex event. Although this process may seem unusual, it shifts energy use before demand is high this way you are comfortable when your thermostat is adjusted during a Flex event.

A Flex event is a period when PSE identifies an opportunity for customers to help support the electric grid by temporarily reducing electricity use.

There is no single condition that triggers a Flex event. PSE evaluates a variety of factors across the electric system, including: electricity demand, resource availability, energy market conditions and weather. When these conditions indicate that reducing demand would benefit our electric grid, a Flex event may be called.

By participating in Flex programs, you help support a reliable grid while earning rewards.

Once you’ve enrolled your thermostat, it will automatically adjust its temperature set point by a few degrees for a few hours during the Flex event. We may also adjust your temperature set point ahead of an event. Data shows that most customers do not experience a significant change in comfort during Flex events, and you’ll be helping to create a more energy-efficient and resilient electrical system in your community.

Yes, you can always opt out before or during a Flex event by manually adjusting your thermostat. You are always in control of the comfort of your home, and PSE will never lock thermostats.

Flex events will only occur once a day during the hours of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., typically lasting between 2-4 hours each, and will never take place on holidays (see list below). Winter events can occur from Nov. 1 to March 31 and summer events can occur from May 1 to Sept. 30. 

Holidays:

• New Years Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas Day

No, reducing electricity usage during Flex events is 100% voluntary for customers. There is no requirement to participate in events, but you will need to actively override each event if you do not want to participate in the event

Your smart thermostat will automatically adjust by typically two to four degrees, depending on the model of thermostat or the settings you have selected. In preparation for the event, your thermostat may “pre-cool” or “pre-heat” so that you are more comfortable for the duration of the event. Once the event is over, your thermostat will default to its regular settings. Some thermostats come with the option for you to choose the exact temperature adjustments in the app.

Depending on your preference settings and brand of thermostat, you will get a notice up to 60 minutes ahead of the event (unless there is a grid emergency) via your smart phone app and/or device display. During the event, you will also see a notice on your smart phone app and/or device display with opt-out instructions.

No, PSE will not disconnect customers' power in response to increased demand. However, it is possible that a power outage might coincide with a Flex event due to circumstances such as inclement weather. PSE is only authorized to auto-adjust enrolled smart devices during Flex events, but participation is always voluntary.

If you have a qualifying thermostat, you may enroll as long as your thermostat account is associated with the thermostat(s) in your home. If not, you may qualify for our Flex Rewards program, which does not require a smart device to join. If your property manager has installed a smart thermostat through the Multifamily Retrofit program, you may be automatically enrolled, but you can always opt out of an event or the program. Contact your property manager for details.

If your building is eligible, you may qualify for our Multifamily Retrofit program to get no-cost enabling devices like Mysa line-voltage-connected thermostats, smart water heater controllers (with leak detection), and other energy-efficiency upgrades. To learn more about demand response for multifamily properties, please reach out to multifamilyretrofit@pse.com or visit the PSE Multifamily Retrofit page.

To learn more about our commercial Flex programs, please visit PSE | Flex C&I

When you receive a smart thermostat discount from any PSE program, the devices are now pre-enrolled into Flex Smart for your convenience. You may elect to unenroll from the Flex Smart program at a future date if the program isn’t working for you.

If inaccurate customer or account information is provided during the sign-up process, it can result in a failed enrollment. If this happens, you may be notified by your manufacturer about what went wrong. If you need additional assistance signing up, you can always contact 1-888-793-9347 or email support@pseflex.com.

You will receive your enrollment reward via email in the form of an e-gift card, or for Multifamily Retrofit installations, a $25 bill credit. For smart thermostats, you will receive an additional reward at the season’s end (winter and summer) for staying enrolled. Please allow four to six weeks for processing. For line-voltage-connected thermostats, you will receive an additional reward for each winter you stay enrolled. Winter season goes from Nov. 1 to March 31 and summer season goes from May 1 to Sept. 30. If you unenroll from the program, you will forfeit your participation reward.

Yes, if your new residence or business meets the program qualifications. To ensure you remain enrolled at your new address, please contact us at 1-888-793-9347 or support@pseflex.com.

That’s great to hear! If you participate in a program managed by Uplight, PSE currently offers $10 for each enrollee that you refer to an Uplight-managed program. To track referrals, you must use the unique referral link from your FlexSaver account.

Absolutely! You can sign up as a new participant using the thermostat left behind. Follow the links for  "Compatible Thermostats"  on this page or call 1-888-793-9347, and we will assist you with your program enrollment. Multifamily tenants should contact their landlord.

Yes! You can get assistance installing a smart thermostat through PSE’s Recommended Energy Professionals program. Once you have selected a contractor, they will provide you with a written estimate. Get a referral today.

Your smart thermostat uses Wi-Fi to communicate with PSE, similar to the way it communicates with your phone when you alter the temperature remotely.

Yes. PSE takes its responsibility to maintain the confidentiality and security of customer information seriously. When signing up for PSE Flex through your smart thermostat’s manufacturer website, you are only providing basic information that allows PSE to connect your device information to your account information. This data is securely transmitted through encrypted connections to PSE. Learn more about PSE’s privacy policy.