Do you have an electric water heater? Then you can earn rewards for being a little flexible with your water heating schedule! Join Smart Hours to help keep energy affordable, protect our energy grid and get $25 when you enroll – plus another $25 for each season you participate!
Heating water for your home uses a lot of energy. In fact, on extremely hot or cold days, demand can spike so much that getting power to everyone who needs it can become inefficient – and expensive.
As a member of Alliant Energy® Smart Hours, you’ll help us keep energy cleaner and more affordable for everyone by shifting some of your energy use out of the hours when it is most in demand. By coordinating your energy use with thousands of others’ right when it counts, we can protect the energy system while keeping you comfortable.
Once you submit your application, we'll determine your eligibility and be in touch if we have any questions. Then you'll receive an email inviting you to schedule your free installation of an Aquanta smart water heater controller.
After your smart water heater controller is enrolled, Aquanta’s technology will learn your hot water usage patterns so we can be sure you have plenty of hot water during Smart Hours events.
A few times each season, when weather gets really hot or cold and it looks like the demand for energy is going to spike, we’ll schedule a Smart Hours event. On these days, we’ll adjust your smart water heater controller to reduce your energy use a little during the Smart Hours event, flattening the energy spike and keeping energy prices down.
During Smart Hours events, if your water heater’s hot water reserve dips below the minimum threshold, your Aquanta will signal to heat more water. And if you need to, you can always adjust your water heater settings from the Aquanta mobile app.
We’ll get in touch in advance to let you know when Smart Hours events are planned, and we’ll never adjust your settings on nonevent days, so you’re always in control.
Most of the time, the program won’t have any effect on your day-to-day life. We only work with your water heater during Smart Hours events, and we’ll notify you beforehand so you know when they’re coming.
There will be a maximum of 15 Smart Hours events each season (summer runs June 1 to Sept. 30, winter is Dec. 1 to March 31). We'll rarely reduce your energy use for more than four hours, and it will never happen on weekends or holidays.
By simply letting us make your water heater schedule a bit flexible, you’re helping us keep energy costs affordable, reducing your carbon footprint and making our energy system more efficient.
Join now to make a difference for your community and the planet – without noticing one at home.
Smart Hours runs in summer and winter. In order to participate, you must:
You may have received communication from Alliant Energy regarding upgrading your outdated equipment. Learn more
Your smart water heater controller will learn your home’s hot water usage patterns so we can help you make an impact on the environment without impacting your comfort.
By participating in Smart Hours, you can help prevent strain on the energy system that makes energy inefficient and more expensive.
On occasional days when energy demand is extra high, Smart Hours will automatically adjust your water heater, finding the best times to heat water for your home. You don’t need to do a thing!