Direct Energy Customers Receive Rewards for Energy Efficiency during Extreme Weather

Houston, TX (September 29, 2015) - With summer heat transitioning to fall temperatures that remain warm, and energy consumption still high, Direct Energy is introducing new rewards programs to help customers manage their energy usage and costs while staying comfortably cool.

"We understand how important it is for our customers to have appropriate heating and cooling during the extreme temperature seasons without losing sleep over energy costs," said Robbie Wright, vice president of Innovation and Digital at Direct Energy. "This is why Direct Energy is implementing innovative rewards programs to help customers maintain an affordable electricity bill."

Direct Energy designed this program to help scale energy use when demand is unusually high and power supplies are tight in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). When ERCOT issues a conservation warning or an emergency alert on extreme weather days, Direct Energy communicates with customers who participate in the following programs to voluntarily reduce their electricity use:

• Direct Energy's Reduce Your Use Rewards & Bounce Energy's Bounce Back Energy Savings ?Customers will be notified of the event through email, text message, and their online account manager. Participating customers who reduce their energy by the required threshold will get a discount on their next bill above and beyond the savings generated by changing their behavior. This program is available for Direct Energy and Bounce Energy customers in Texas who have a smart meter, are serviced by Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Central or AEP North, and opt in to the program.

 

• Comfortable Savings ? Direct Energy provides tools and information to help our customers buy less of what we sell. One of these tools is the Nest Learning Thermostat. Customers who opt in to the Comfortable Savings program allow Direct Energy to initiate changes in their Nest's settings for a short period of time. Comfortable Savings is available for Texas Direct Energy customers only via their online account manager. By enrolling in the program, customers will earn a $50 Visa gift card.

   

In July and August of this year, Direct Energy and Bounce Energy offered more than $100,000 in rewards to customers who participated in the Reduce Your Use and Bounce Back Energy Savings programs. Customers in the Reduce Your Use program more than doubled their participation rate in the event, reaching a 30 percent rate, when compared to customers who were not enrolled in the program.

In addition, Direct Energy has brought Nest's Seasonal Savings program to its Comfort & Control customers across North America who have a Nest Thermostat. If Seasonal Savings can find opportunities to save energy while maintaining comfort, the thermostat will make micro adjustments, to help customers save money.

For more information and eligibility check, visit https://www.directenergy.com/nest/features.

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About Direct Energy: Direct Energy is one of North America's largest energy and energy-related services provider with nearly five million residential and commercial customers. Direct Energy provides customers with choice and support in managing their energy costs through a portfolio of innovative products and services. A subsidiary of Centrica plc (LSE: CNA), one of the world's leading integrated energy companies, Direct Energy operates in 50 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia and 10 provinces in Canada.

For further information, please contact:
Jessica Michan
Direct Energy
(713) 805-7306