Power Hours Rewards Program

A hand touching a thermostat followed by a hand charging an electric car

With the Power Hours Rewards Program, you can earn bill credits when you sign up and use less electricity during busy times.

What is the Power Hours Rewards Program

The Power Hours Rewards Program offers incentives to eligible FortisBC residential electricity customers who lower their electricity use during peak demand—or what we call, Power Hours.

Power Hours are times when people use the most energy at home, typically between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. Think about when you get home from work or school: you turn on the heat or AC, do laundry, charge your electric vehicle (EV) and phone, cook dinner and watch TV. The thing is, so does everyone else. That's why electricity use is highest during these times.

When you sign up for the Power Hours Rewards Program, you will take part in Power Hours events that encourage you to lower energy use during peak demand periods. In return, you can earn credits on your FortisBC bill. Participation is voluntary.

Who can participate in the Power Hours Rewards Program

To participate in the Power Hours Rewards Program, you must:

  • be a FortisBC residential electricity customer
    • Note: the Power Hours Rewards Program is currently not available to municipal electricity utility customers of Summerland, Penticton, Grand Forks and Nelson Hydro.
  • live year-round in your principal residence (any dwelling type)
  • agree to take part in up to 10 Power Hours events per season over the winter and/or summer seasons
  • reduce energy use during Power Hours events, either manually or with a programmable device or setting
  • respond to evaluation surveys

Benefits of the Power Hours Rewards Program

Joining the program has many benefits. Customers could:

  • receive incentives like sign-up rewards and/or bill credits
  • gain insights into their energy use
  • support a more reliable electricity grid

Apply now

Ways to participate in the Power Hours Rewards Program

Whether you have a smart or Wi-Fi-connected device or appliance—or none at all—there are many ways you can join and take part in the program:

Smart or Wi-Fi-connected thermostats

If you have an eligible smart or Wi-Fi-connected thermostat and you join the program, we’ll send you a text or email before a Power Hours event starts. During the event, your thermostat will be adjusted automatically. You can change it back anytime by adjusting it yourself.

Don’t have a smart or Wi-Fi-connected thermostat yet?

We’ve got rebates up to $150 on the installation of a new eligible connected thermostat. (Make sure the model you purchase is included in the eligibility list below if you want to participate in the Power Hours Rewards Program.)

Item

Incentive

Details

ecobee®, Honeywell Home™, Google Nest1, Mysa or Sensi™ smart or Wi-Fi connected thermostat

Sign up incentive–$25 per customer

Participation incentive–$25 per season (winter and/or summer)
  • Winter season events (for heating systems) occur between November and March.
  • Summer season events (for cooling systems) occur between May and September.
  • Incentives will be given as bill credits at the end of the winter and summer seasons.

To participate in the Power Hours Rewards Program with a smart or Wi-Fi-connected thermostat, you must:

  1. be a FortisBC residential electricity customer
    • Note: the Power Hours Rewards Program is currently not available to municipal electricity utility customers of Summerland, Penticton, Grand Forks and Nelson Hydro.
  2. live year-round in your principal residence (any dwelling type)
  3. have an ecobee®, Honeywell Home™, Google Nest1, Mysa or Sensi™ smart or Wi-Fi- connected thermostat, controlling an electric space heating and/or cooling system, such as:
    • line-voltage electric baseboard heaters
    • air source heat pump (both central and mini/multi-split types qualify)
    • electric forced-air furnace
    • electric boiler
    • central air conditioner
  4. have a functioning internet connection that can be used to connect your thermostat to FortisBC’s partner software and maintain this connection throughout your participation in the program.

Terms and conditions

Residential “Power Hours Rewards Program” terms and conditions

  1. Review the terms and conditions and confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements, including having an eligible thermostat controlling electric heating/cooling equipment.
  2. Apply online. You’ll need your FortisBC electricity account number.

Note: you'll be required to enroll your eligible device(s) on the manufacturer's website or through your device settings.

EVs and EV chargers

You can participate in Power Hours events by registering either your eligible EV or your eligible EV charger. You can participate in Power Hours events every day by simply charging your EV outside the peak demand Power Hours between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Item

Incentives

Details

Electric vehicle or electric vehicle charger

 

Sign up incentive–$25 per electric vehicle or electric vehicle charger

Participation incentive–$0.50 per event for off-peak charging (outside the hours of 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.)
  • Must be on the list of eligible EV models.
  • You can only register your EV OR your EV charger, not both.
  • FortisBC cannot control the connected EV, only monitor its charging when parked at the address specified on the application form.
  • EV charging events are defined as any time a vehicle draws 5 kWh or more during one continuous charge while parked at the address specified on the application form.
  • Incentives will be paid quarterly as bill credits. 

 

To participate in the Power Hours Rewards Program with an EV or EV charger, you must:

  1. be a FortisBC residential electricity customer
    • Note: the Power Hours Rewards Program is currently not available to municipal utility customers of Summerland, Penticton, Grand Forks and Nelson Hydro.
  2. live year-round in your principal residence (any dwelling type)
  3. have an eligible EV model or, have a ChargePoint Level 2 networked EV charger
    • Note: Ford plug-in EVs (model year 2021 or newer) and Emporia Pro or Classic Level 2 EV chargers are now eligible for participation. Please see the How to apply section for additional details.
  4. have a functioning internet connection that can be used to connect your EV or EV charger to FortisBC's partner software and maintain this connection throughout your participation in the program.

Terms and conditions

Residential “Power Hours Rewards Program” terms and conditions

  1. Review the terms and conditions at the link above and confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements, including having an eligible EV or EV charger.
  2. Apply online. You’ll need your FortisBC electricity account number.
    • If you have an eligible Ford plug-in EV
      To apply, visit the Ford Energy Rewards enrollment page, verify your eligibility, select your vehicle, provide your information account information and submit the application using your existing FordPass account and connected vehicle.
    • If you have an eligible Emporia EV charger
      To apply, visit Emporia Energy web App, select your utility program, choose your charger, enter your FortisBC account information and submit the application using your existing Emporia account.

Note: you'll be required to enroll your eligible device(s) on the manufacturer's website or through your device settings.

Do-it-yourself or with an energy router

Whether you prefer to make manual adjustments yourself or take part in an energy router pilot, there are options to fit your home and devices:

Do-it-yourself (DIY). FortisBC electricity customers without smart or Wi-Fi-connected devices and/or appliances can still participate in the Power Hours Rewards Program over winter and summer peak periods. Sign up and we’ll send you a text or email before a Power Hours event starts. During the event, you can manually adjust your thermostat and devices and/or appliances such as a space heater, stove, dishwasher, washer/dryer, lights and other electronics. You can change it back anytime by adjusting it yourself.

Energy router. Up to 100 eligible customers with smart or Wi-Fi-connected devices and/or appliances may be selected to receive an energy router and participate in a one-year pilot from winter 2026 to summer 2027. Connected through a home's Wi-Fi network, the router works with technologies such as battery storage, smart thermostats and appliances, EVs and solar systems, to provide energy-use insights through the Elastic Energy app. Participants will help measure their home's energy use during up to 20 Power Hours events (10 each winter and summer season) and share insights with FortisBC.

Item

Incentives

Details

No equipment necessary (for DIY only)

Elastic energy router, if applicable

Participation incentive–$5 per event
  • Winter season events (for heating systems) occur between November and March.
  • Summer season events (for cooling systems) occur between May and September.
  • Incentives will be given as bill credits at the end of the winter and summer seasons

 

To participate in the Power Hours Rewards Program as a do-it-yourself participant, you must:

  1. be a FortisBC residential electricity customer
    • Note: the Power Hours Rewards Program is currently not available to municipal electricity utility customers of Summerland, Penticton, Grand Forks and Nelson Hydro.
  2. live year-round in your principal residence (any dwelling type)

To participate in the Power Hours Rewards Program with an energy router, you must:

  1. be a FortisBC residential electricity customer
    • Note: the Power Hours Rewards Program is currently not available to municipal electricity utility customers of Summerland, Penticton, Grand Forks and Nelson Hydro.
  2. live year-round in your principal residence (any dwelling type)
  3. have a functioning internet connection
  4. have a smartphone that is up-to-date and capable of running the Elastic Energy app (available through Google Play and Apple app stores)
  5. go to http://elasticenergy.com/compatibility and check that your setup meets the hardware’s requirements
  6. provide FortisBC with access to the data collected through the energy router for the purposes of evaluations and future program development

Energy router hardware

FortisBC will provide accepted participants with an energy router, including shipping, installation and any testing required for the pilot. Once the pilot ends, participants who choose to continue using the energy router are responsible for any ongoing operating and maintenance costs.

Terms and conditions

Residential “Power Hours Rewards Program” terms and conditions

  1. Review the terms and conditions at the link above and confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements.
  2. Apply online. You’ll need your FortisBC electricity account number.

Questions? We’re here to help

Check out our frequently asked questions page for more information. More questions? Email [email protected] or call 1-866-436-7847.

1Google and Nest are trademarks of Google LLC.