The Eversource ConnectedSolutions Bring Your Own Thermostat program. Utility-grade demand response that quietly pays New England customers for cutting peak use.

Eversource ConnectedSolutions Bring Your Own Thermostat pays eligible New England customers incentives for allowing brief, remote thermostat adjustments during peak demand events. Anyone holding Eversource Energy stock (NYSE: ES, ISIN US30040W1080) should know this product.

By Thomas Riley, ad hoc news Lifestyle & Consumer Desk. Reviewed July 03, 2026, 8:07 AM ET. Details in the imprint.

ConnectedSolutions Bring Your Own Thermostat from Eversource Energy is the kind of program you only notice when the air in your living room quietly shifts a degree while your smart thermostat flashes a “Savings Event” banner. On a muggy August afternoon in Boston, that slight nudge feels subtle, but the $20 check that shows up later is not. The utility is turning everyday home comfort gear into a grid tool, and it is paying households for the favor.

How ConnectedSolutions BYOT works

Eversource runs ConnectedSolutions Bring Your Own Thermostat (BYOT) as a demand response program in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire for residential and small business customers with qualifying smart thermostats installed on central air conditioning or heat pump systems. Participating customers enroll an eligible device from brands like Ecobee, Google Nest, Honeywell Home and others, then authorize Eversource and its program partners to make limited, temporary thermostat adjustments on high-demand days. Eversource states that adjustments typically raise the cooling setpoint by about 1 to 4 degrees for a few hours during peak events, with customers able to override any event from their thermostat or app if they feel uncomfortable.

On its Massachusetts program page, Eversource describes ConnectedSolutions events as usually occurring on the hottest weekdays of the summer, often between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., when regional electricity demand spikes and wholesale prices and grid emissions are at their highest. The utility emphasizes that customers remain in control; they can opt out of individual events or withdraw from the program entirely at any time, though incentives are tied to active participation through the season. In practice, that means an enrolled Nest or Ecobee might pre-cool your home slightly before an event and then let temperatures drift a couple of degrees higher while the grid is under stress.

Incentives and eligible customers

For US households, the main hook is cash. Eversource offers different incentive structures depending on the state and thermostat brand, but the common pattern is an upfront enrollment reward plus annual performance-based payments for sticking with the program through the summer season. For example, marketing materials from thermostat makers referencing ConnectedSolutions describe typical incentives of around $25 for enrolling an eligible device and an additional $20 to $40 per year for continued participation, though exact amounts can vary by territory and program year. These incentives are often paid as bill credits or prepaid cards once the season ends and Eversource verifies participation.

Enrollment is targeted at residential and certain small commercial accounts with central air conditioning or heat pumps; window units generally do not qualify. Customers must have an active Eversource electric account in one of the participating programs, such as Eversource Massachusetts Electric, Eversource Connecticut or Eversource New Hampshire, and they need Wi-Fi connectivity and a compatible smart thermostat tied to their cooling equipment. In a typical Boston triple-decker, that means the ConnectedSolutions offer is most relevant for units that have had a central system added, while many older apartments with only window ACs are left out for now.

Device partners and tech setup

On the device side, ConnectedSolutions relies on tight integration with thermostat manufacturers. Eversource lists Google Nest, Ecobee, Honeywell Home by Resideo and other smart thermostat brands as program partners, with each partner hosting its own enrollment portal that connects the customer’s device to the utility’s demand response platform. A Nest owner, for example, can enroll by visiting the Nest energy programs section in the app or on Google’s website and choosing Eversource ConnectedSolutions, then signing in with their utility account to authorize data sharing and event control. Ecobee offers a similar pathway through its Eco+ demand response settings, where users in eligible ZIP codes see Eversource as a program option.

Once enrolled, the thermostat communicates with Eversource or its third-party program administrator using secure APIs. That communication allows the utility to schedule events, send start and end times and specify temperature offsets. The thermostat, in turn, uses its own algorithms to precool the space where possible, adjust setpoints and stage equipment to minimize perceived discomfort during events. From a user’s point of view, the tech setup is mostly invisible after the initial sign-up; a small leaf or banner icon and a gentle setpoint nudge are the main signals that the grid is asking for help.

Why Eversource pushes demand response

On quarterly calls, Eversource executives have flagged demand response and energy efficiency as central pieces of the company’s long-term strategy as New England electrifies heating and transport. CEO Joseph Nolan has repeatedly pointed to the need for “non-wires alternatives” to manage growing loads without constantly building new transmission and generation assets. ConnectedSolutions, which Eversource describes as one of the largest active demand response portfolios in the region when including commercial and battery-based programs, fits squarely into that push. By trimming thousands of small residential loads at once, the utility can flatten peak demand, reduce the use of peaker plants and limit emissions.

For investors watching regulated utilities, the nuance is that demand response spending often earns an allowed return through state-approved programs just like wires and transformers do, but with lower direct capital intensity. Regulators across New England have generally supported these programs as ways to keep system costs down over time, especially as offshore wind, solar and storage scale up and introduce new operational dynamics for the grid. For a household in Hartford, though, the macro story translates simply: the grid asks for a little flexibility on the hottest afternoons, and in return, Eversource sends a check.

Comfort, control and customer experience

There is a human side to all this automation. In practice, ConnectedSolutions events sometimes land right when a family is cooking dinner or kids are running around the living room, and a 3-degree bump can feel noticeable in a small, top-floor apartment. Eversource and its device partners try to manage that experience through pre-cooling, clear in-app messaging and prominent override buttons. A Nest event screen, for instance, shows the remaining time in the event window and lets the user tap “Stop” to exit immediately, reverting to their original schedule.

Testers who have described running Eversource-linked thermostats through several summers note that in well-insulated homes, the impact can be subtle, often experienced as the AC cycling less frequently rather than a sharp temperature spike. In older New England housing stock with patchy insulation, the effect is more pronounced, and customer satisfaction tends to depend on whether residents feel adequately informed and rewarded for their flexibility. That puts pressure on the utility and partners to keep communication clear and perks meaningful.

Environmental and grid impact

From a system perspective, ConnectedSolutions BYOT is not just a gadget perk but a small piece of regional decarbonization policy. Aggregated across thousands of thermostats, Eversource can shed several megawatts of load during a peak event, cutting reliance on older fossil-fuel peaking units that are expensive to run and often located near already burdened communities. Reducing those peaks also eases stress on local distribution infrastructure, potentially delaying upgrades to feeders and substations in tight urban neighborhoods.

For customers who care about their climate footprint, Eversource and device makers position the program as a simple behavioral nudge with real emissions impact. A single household may not see a massive change in its annual carbon tally, but coordinated across a hot July week, the load shifting can meaningfully alter the grid’s hourly emissions profile. On nights when sea air rolls back into Boston Harbor and temperatures fall, the thermostat quietly hands control back to the customer, but the long-term impact on planning models remains.

Where the program goes next

Looking ahead, analysts expect Eversource to expand the ConnectedSolutions concept beyond thermostats into more devices, including residential batteries and possibly electric vehicle chargers, depending on regulatory approvals. Program filings and pilot descriptions already highlight battery-based demand response, and the BYOT thermostat track offers a ready-made template for how incentives, enrollment and event control can work at scale. As Joseph Nolan and his team weigh capital allocation between traditional infrastructure and these more software-driven tools, BYOT participation data will likely factor into resource planning discussions with regulators.

For US retail investors, the ConnectedSolutions Bring Your Own Thermostat program sits at the intersection of digital consumer tech and regulated utility economics. It is not a headline-grabbing gadget, but a small, persistent product that shapes how Eversource manages demand, spends on grid upgrades and talks about its climate trajectory. For the family standing in that slightly warmer living room, it is also a reminder that their smart thermostat has become part of the power system, not just a wall accessory.

Eversource in the market

Eversource Energy is one of New England’s largest electric and gas utilities, serving more than four million electric, gas and water customers across Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire through a mix of regulated operating companies. ConnectedSolutions Bring Your Own Thermostat is one strand in a broader portfolio that includes offshore wind partnerships, grid modernization projects and large-scale demand response. Eversource Energy stock (NYSE: ES) remains a regulated utility exposure for US investors, with programs like ConnectedSolutions shaping its long-term capital plans rather than driving near-term earnings spikes.

Key facts at a glance

• Product: ConnectedSolutions Bring Your Own Thermostat
• Manufacturer: Eversource Energy
• Category: Lifestyle & Consumer (demand response program)
• Launch: Program expanded in the late 2010s and is active in recent summer seasons in MA, CT and NH
• MSRP / Price: No direct cost; incentives typically around $25 enrollment plus $20–$40 per season, varying by territory and year
• Availability: Eligible Eversource electric customers in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire with qualifying smart thermostats and central AC or heat pumps
• Target audience: Residential and small business customers with smart thermostats seeking bill credits and sustainability impact
• Standout / USP: Utility-backed program that quietly turns everyday smart thermostats into paid grid resources by briefly adjusting temperatures during peak events

This article was AI-assisted and editorially reviewed. Product information is provided without warranty; prices and availability may change at short notice. Not investment advice and not a buy or sell recommendation. Securities trading carries risks up to total loss.