PSEG Long Island Activates Smart Savers Thermostat Program and Other Measures to Support Energy Affordability

Reducing peak demand during extreme heat lowers future power supply costs

(UNIONDALE, N.Y. – July 2, 2026) With extreme heat in the forecast through Saturday night, PSEG Long Island is activating its voluntary Smart Savers thermostat program today, along with other demand response programs that support energy affordability by reducing peak demand when energy prices are highest.

PSEG Long Island has adequate electric resources in place to reliably serve customer demand throughout this heatwave. While the system has sufficient capacity to meet expected demand, demand response measures reduce stress on the system while also helping reduce costs, minimizing the use of higher-cost, higher-emission “peaking” generation, and decreasing the amount of electricity that must be purchased for next year.

Smart Savers thermostat program
PSEG Long Island is activating the voluntary Smart Savers thermostat program to reduce peak demand by automatically adjusting the thermostats of residential customers who have chosen to participate. Activating the program also improves affordability for all customers by reducing the amount of required electric capacity that must be purchased in advance for next year. 

“PSEG Long Island is committed to providing safe, reliable electric service, and we are prepared for this multi-day period of extreme heat. It is more important than ever that we keep our service affordable, and the Smart Savers thermostat program helps us reduce next year’s electric capacity costs and this month’s energy costs. Customers enrolled in this voluntary program save money and also help everyone in the service area by allowing us to reduce the overall peak demand on some of the hottest days.”

-   Alex Valentino, Director of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, PSEG Long Island

How it works: 
On Thursday, July 2, thermostats will be raised by 4 degrees from 5 - 8 PM. In exchange, these customers receive a participation payment.

More than 47,000 customers have enrolled in the program. To learn more and join the program, customers can visit: enrollmythermostat.com/faqs/pseg-long-island-faq/

The Smart Savers program is dispatched for economic and load reduction purposes. Each year, PSEG Long Island must pre-purchase the electricity it will need to provide power to its customers for the following year, especially in the more demanding summer months. That capacity is estimated based on the previous year’s usage. When Smart Savers is implemented, it reduces the amount of overall energy being used, which reduces the amount of electricity needed to be purchased for the following summer period. That translates into future savings for all customers.

Activating the Smart Savers Thermostat program also allows PSEG Long Island to maintain an up-to-date assessment of the program’s capability to reduce demand on the hottest days of the year, or “peak load” days.

Other load reduction programs
PSEG Long Island will also be activating its Peak Rewards Program  to reduce loading on the system and create future savings for customers. Nearly 1,800 residential and commercial customers enrolled in this voluntary program will be asked to provide their contracted load relief today by either switching to generators or shutting off equipment or air conditioning.

In addition, PSEG Long Island will activate its voluntary Battery Storage System Program, which reduces the electrical load via discharge of battery storage systems at the homes of more than 1,200 customers who have chosen to enroll.

Each of these actions will lower energy costs for customers and lower emissions.   

How to save energy and money during the heat
PSEG Long Island is acutely aware of affordability challenges utility customers are facing across New York State, and it encourages customers to follow these tips to manage electrical costs during extreme heat:

• Turn off all nonessential electronics and appliances.
• Set home thermostats or air conditioner units to 78 degrees.
• Customers on a Time-of-Day rate can save money and energy by running dishwashers, clothes dryers, electric vehicles and other high-energy-use appliances outside of peak hours, which are weekdays from 3 – 7 PM.
• Set refrigerators and freezers at most-efficient temperatures.
• Use a programmable thermostat. ENERGY STAR® estimates that homes with high heating and cooling bills, as well as homes that are unoccupied for much of the day, can save approximately $100 a year with an ENERGY STAR® certified smart thermostat. In addition, PSEG Long Island offers rebates on smart thermostats.
• Commercial and residential customers may sign up for the Peak Load Rewards program. Visit psegliny.com/saveenergyandmoney/GreenEnergy/PeakLoad for more details.
• Close blinds and window coverings facing the sun to keep out the sun’s heat.
• Charge electric vehicles overnight. 
• Install a high efficiency air source heat pump (ASHP) to lower energy usage in cold and hot months. Rebates are available from PSEG Long Island.
• Get more cooling tips at psegliny.com/saveenergyandmoney/TipsandTools/66waystosave.

Prepared for potential outages:
High temperatures, thunderstorms and high electric demand can sometimes cause scattered outages. PSEG Long Island has personnel available around the clock to address potential outages during this forecasted heatwave safely and as quickly as possible. 

Stay connected:

• Download the PSEG Long Island mobile app to report outages and receive information on restoration times, crew locations and more.
• Report an outage and receive status updates by texting OUT to PSEGLI (773454). You can also report your outage through our app or our website at psegliny.com/outages.
• To report an outage or downed wire, you can also call PSEG Long Island’s 24-hour Electric Service number at 800-490-0075. 
• Follow PSEG Long Island on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) to report an outage and for updates before, during and after the storm.
• Visit PSEG Long Island’s MyPower map for the latest in outage info, restoration times and crew locations across Long Island and the Rockaways at mypowermap.psegliny.com/.
  
   
  
  
   

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PSEG Long Island
PSEG Long Island operates the Long Island Power Authority’s transmission and distribution system under a long-term contract.  PSEG Long Island is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a publicly traded diversified energy company.