Support and FAQs

Energy Select customers are on the Residential Service Variable Pricing or (RSVP) rate. Learn more about the RSVP rate schedule. In order to participate, you must be a current Gulf Power customer on the standard residential rate (not Gulf Power Fixed Rate^SM). Your home must have a properly working central cooling and heating system AND Broadband internet service with available secure WiFi. In addition, you must be the homeowner or have the homeowner’s permission to have equipment installed at the premise.

Installation is free.

There is no fee to remove the system. We highly encourage you to remain on the program for at least one year. Savings are realized annually. If you discontinue at the end of the summer, you cannot benefit from the generous winter savings.

May - October

• 1-6 p.m., weekdays (not including holidays)

• 6-10 a.m., weekdays (not including holidays)

Yes. You can pre-cool or pre-heat your home during a lower price period so that the temperature remains comfortable during the higher price period. With easy programming from the Customer Engagement Portal, you can have all your settings in place.

The critical price period is considered when Gulf Power’s generating capacity has reached conditions for maximum demand of electricity. The critical price period is not fixed, but is determined by Gulf Power as needed. Critical pricing periods will never exceed 1% of total hours in a year. However, you can plan for this price by programming your system to respond accordingly when the critical price signal is sent. You never have to be at home to respond to any price. Once your programs are set, the Energy Select system does the work for you. And if you need to make a quick fix to settings, you can login to the Customer Engagement Portal from a computer or mobile device anytime, anywhere to change your programming online.

Your Energy Select thermostat is equipped with an indicator light to warn you of an upcoming critical price period, as well as let you know when a critical price is in effect. (See your customer guide for specific details regarding your thermostat’s indicator light operation.) In addition, you will also receive electronic notifications.

While a critical price can take place any time, it typically will occur on a weekday, during the high price period.

There is no high price in effect on observed holidays, which include Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The high price will be replaced with the medium price on these days, mirroring the weekend schedule.

The base rates will only change when all other rates change. The fuel cost will change typically once a year in January. The summer and winter seasonal period changes occur on May 1 and Nov. 1. It is the responsibility of the customer to be aware that the pricing periods change each May and November and adjust their programming accordingly. Energy Select customers will receive a season change postcard, the week prior to price period modification, as a reminder to reset programmed settings. In addition, you will also receive electronic notifications.

No. The price you pay for electricity is different on these two rates. Therefore, you cannot be on both rates at the same time.

The benefit of having the Energy Select smart thermostat and timers for your appliances is that you don’t have to change your lifestyle. Once you enter your customized program based on your schedule and desired price response, you don’t have to think about it again. The Energy Select system will automatically do all the work for you, saving energy and your money.

People at home during the high price period (weekdays) can shift the operation of their system with minimal to no impact on their activities. For cooling and heating, you can pre-heat or pre-cool before a higher price period begins, and then minimize consumption during the high price period. In fact, 96 percent say that they are satisfied or very satisfied with the comfort level of their home.

The easiest way to maximize your savings is by simply minimizing your usage during the high price period. By programming your thermostat, water heater and pool pump to avoid usage for the majority of the high price period, you will save money.

No. Both the low price and the medium price are lower than the standard residential rate and these two price periods are in effect 87 percent of the time.

Our customer service reps are available to assist you over the phone, just call (877) 655-4001.

Call Customer Service toll-free at (877) 655-4001 and listen for available options.

It is the responsibility of the customer and the customer’s contractor to relocate the thermostat due to remodeling. If the contractor is unsure of how to re-wire the thermostat, they should call (877) 655-4001 for assistance.

If you choose to discontinue the program, all Energy Select equipment will be removed from your home by one of our technicians, who will also replace the Energy Select thermostat with your old thermostat, or a new one that you provide.

For new customers to the program, broadband internet service with secure WiFi is required.

Whenever your WiFi credentials change, you will need to update the Network and Password for the Energy Select.

Broadband internet service refers to internet service that is delivered via a “broadband” as opposed to older dial-up service through a phone line. Broadband literally means the method of delivery has greater bandwidth, allowing for the flow of larger amounts of data at faster speeds.

Communication is a key component of the Energy Select program and must be maintained for the system to work as effectively as possible. Stable communication ensures programming is followed, pricing signals are received and season changes are initiated.

If you are not an Energy Select customer, the price you pay for electricity is the same 24 hours a day. Only as an Energy Select participant do you get lower prices during certain time periods throughout the day and week. The Energy Select smart thermostat is no ordinary thermostat. It has a price-response feature that allows you to program it to automatically respond to the price of electricity in effect at any given time. The only way you can get a thermostat that gives you this level of control over your electricity and monthly bill is through the Energy Select program.

Since your programming is stored in memory, it is maintained through any length of power outage. The thermostat will not have to be reprogrammed after an outage.

You can check the eligibility requirements for Energy Select participation.

It costs Gulf Power significantly more to produce electricity in high demand periods. Energy Select was developed to encourage customers to shift a portion of their electricity purchases from the higher priced peak demand periods to the lower priced demand periods to save money. Therefore, since Energy Select lowers demand in the peak periods, it benefits Gulf Power Company and all ratepayers by helping to defer the cost of building new facilities to meet growing demand, and consequently, rates can remain lower for everyone. It’s a win-win for customers and Gulf Power.

Energy Select has both short- and long-term positive effects on the environment. Since customers on Energy Select have an opportunity to immediately lower their overall energy consumption, in addition to paying less for the energy they do use, it’s approved by the Florida Public Service Commission as a program designed to conserve energy and benefit all customers. Also, as a program designed to lower peak demand and defer the need for building additional generating facilities, in the long term, Energy Select is an environmentally friendly program.

Environmental commitment is a core value at Gulf Power. We take ownership and responsibility for helping the environment by committing the resources needed to make it happen. By investing in innovative technologies and programs like Energy Select, Gulf Power is investing in what matters to the future of Northwest Florida, offering a way to use our natural resources more efficiently. And with Energy Select, customers get the added benefit of saving money.