Direct Energy Offering Texas Customers Meridian 'Plus' Savings Plan With Improved Smart Thermostat

Direct Energy has improved its Meridian Savings smart thermostat electricity offers in Texas with the offering of a new, improved smart thermostat under a new Meridian "Plus" Savings Plan.

The original Meridian Savings plan offered customers a bundled Honeywell WiFi smart thermostat (click here for prior story).

The Plus plan includes an improved Honeywell WiFi smart thermostat that offers these additional features:

• Customizable, easy-to-read color touchscreen

• Indoor humidity sensor

• Advanced remote fan control

• Locking touchscreen

• Temperature alerts appear on the thermostat screen

• Smart response capabilities that detect the customer's preferred thermostat settings

• Increased scheduling flexibility to account for outliers in the customer's schedule

In the Oncor service area, for the new Meridian Plus Savings Plan with the improved smart thermostat, which includes a 24-month fixed rate, the Electricity Facts Label shows the average price per kWh as 10.8¢/kWh at 1,000 kWh monthly usage. An additional monthly smart service fee is applied as a separate line item on the monthly bill based on how many smart thermostats the customer selects, as follows:

• 1 Meridian Smart Thermostat: $12.99 per month

• 2 Meridian Smart Thermostats: $22.99 per month

• 3 Meridian Smart Thermostats: $30.99 per month

For the Plus plan, an early termination fee applies as follows:

• $300 if the customer has 0 or 1 Meridian Smart Thermostat

• $350 if the customer has 2 Meridian Smart Thermostats

• $400 if the customer has 3 Meridian Smart Thermostats