Frequently Asked Questions General FAQ Questions What’s the difference between Connected Rewards, PeakRewards and Energy Savings Days (ESD)? The PeakRewards program cycles participants’ air conditioning on and off using a professionally installed programmable thermostat or outdoor switch on their air conditioning units during periods of high electricity demand. In exchange for participation, customers receive bill credits every summer (June–September) depending on their cycling participation level (50%, 75% or 100%).The Connected Rewards program makes brief, limited adjustments of up to 4 degrees on enrolled thermostats during periods of high electricity demand. Typically, adjustment events occur on weekdays during extreme temperature peaks. To help keep you and your family comfortable, events usually won’t occur on weekends or holidays.You must enroll in Connected Rewards or PeakRewards to participate in these energy-saving programs.BGE Energy Savings Days are scheduled during periods of high electricity demand. You do not need to enroll in Energy Savings Days to participate. To earn savings, simply use less electricity during the event, which typically occurs between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on an Energy Savings Day. You will earn $1.25 in bill credits for every kilowatt-hour saved compared to your normal use.If you reduce usage during an Energy Savings Day and you are enrolled in PeakRewards, you will receive whichever credit is higher for that month. If you participate in Connected Rewards and you reduce your usage during an Energy Savings Day compared to your normal use, you will receive your bill credits for that month and your $50 eGift card at the end of the season.Connected Rewards participants can experience adjustment events outside of Energy Savings Days.See the chart below to compare the three programs. Note: If you are a PeakRewards customer and choose to enroll in Connected Rewards, you will no longer receive bill credits through the PeakRewards Program, as these are two separate programs. PeakRewards customers can experience cycling events outside of Energy Savings Days for testing and for PJM Events (emergency events). PeakRewardsConnected RewardsEnergy Savings DayType of deviceA programmable thermostat or a switch on your outdoor air conditioner unit (BGE-owned device)A smart thermostat that controls your central air conditioning (customer-owned device) Any device that uses electricity or controls your home’s temperatureWhat happens during an adjustment event and/or Energy Savings Day?BGE will cycle your air conditioning on and off for a period of time each hour, based on your participation levelBGE will raise the temperature on your thermostat up to 4 degreesParticipants reduce their energy use by raising their thermostat temperature and unplugging or delaying the use of electronic devicesWhat do I receive in exchange for participating?BGE bill credits from June through September The program is no longer open for new enrollments but existing customers earn $12.50–$25 per month based on their participation levelA $50 prepaid card at enrollment and a $50 prepaid card (per thermostat) each season you participate. End of season prepaid cards are typically sent around OctoberBill credits at $1.25 per kWh reduced during an event compared to your normal useProgram periodJune–September*PeakRewards devices are required to respond to PJM Emergency Events, which can be called outside of “core hours” and can be activated May–OctoberJune–SeptemberJune–SeptemberNumber of events per summer season (June–September)Up to 3 events + 1 PJM In-Season Test EventUp to 14 adjustment eventsUp to 3 When are BGE’s peak hours? For information on BGE’s standard rate and information on how to have pricing based on time of use, please visit: https://www.bge.com/Pages/Time-of-Use.aspx Do I have to be in Connected Rewards or PeakRewards to participate in Energy Savings Days? No, you are not required to be enrolled in PeakRewards or Connected Rewards to participate in Energy Savings Days, but being enrolled in either program allows you to receive additional rewards. While PeakRewards is not accepting new enrollments, the Connect Rewards program is. Sign up today! How do I find out about BGE outages? To view the outage map, please visit: https://www.bge.com/outages/experiencing-an-outage/outage-map How do I pay my BGE bill? To pay your bill, please visit https://www.bge.com/MyAccount/MyBillUsage/pages/paymybill.aspx For more questions and information related to PeakRewards, please visit our PeakRewards FAQ page For more questions and information related to Connected Rewards, please visit our Connected Rewards FAQ page