Retail Supplier Launches Monthly Flat Fee Subscription Service For Retail Supply, Smart Home Devices At PECO

Retail supplier Inspire announced that its Smart Energy flat price subscription plan is now available to Philadelphia electricity customers in the PECO service area

Inspire said that the monthly subscription includes, "an integrated smart home experience, energy management services, and 100% clean energy, with no upfront costs."

Generally, the subscription includes:

• 100% clean energy supply

• Cash rewards for using less energy (in select markets)

• Customized smart device pack options

• One flat supply price, every month

The smart device packs include technologies such as climate, lighting, sensors, and voice control at no upfront cost

Currently, the Reduce & Redeem cash back rewards for energy usage reductions are only available to customers in Pennsylvania who enroll in the Inspire One clean energy subscription plans. Inspire hopes to offer Reduce & Redeem to all customers by summer 2018.

Under Reduce & Redeem, customers who beat an energy forecast three times win cash. "When you use less energy than your forecast for any 3 months you earn a cash reward that is automatically credited to your next month’s bill. Your energy forecast is determined by how we expect your usage to change throughout the course of the year and adjusted based on how much energy you have used historically," Inspire states on its website

"When you use less energy for any 3 months (months do not have to be consecutive) you’ll earn a cash reward that is automatically credited to your next month’s bill. Your cash reward is customized to you, just like your clean energy subscription price. After you enroll in Inspire One, you’ll receive a welcome email with your reward amount. Your reward is approximately ⅓ of your subscription price. So if you pay a flat rate of $89.99 every month, your cash reward is $30. This ensures all our members get a reward that’s valuable to them," Inspire states on its website

"Currently, you can earn only one cash reward per year through the Reduce & Redeem rewards program. We are continually working on improving this program which would include being able to win cash rewards more frequently," Inspire states on its website

The Inspire app, available on iOS and Android, allows members to control their homes from anywhere, unlock in-app rewards, and provides insights into the home’s performance.

The price of the energy supply subscription varies by address, taking into account its unique usage and characteristics. For a specific residential address in Philadelphia in the PECO service area, a base Inspire One subscription costs $54.99 per month for 12 months, which includes 100% national wind RECs. A cancellation fee of $10 for each remaining month of the contract applies. Another address had the same subscription available for $39.99 per month; another address had the same subscription available for $119.99 per month

Customers can then add one of the following smart packs for an additional flat monthly cost:

• Climate, Lighting & Voice, +$30/month, includes Ecobee 3 Lite Thermostat, Amazon Echo, 4x Sengled Smart Light Bulbs

• Climate & Lighting, +$20/month, includes Ecobee 3 Lite Thermostat and 4x Sengled Smart Light Bulbs

• Lighting & Voice, +$20/month, includes Amazon Echo and 4x Sengled Smart Light Bulbs

• Climate Control, +$15/month, includes Ecobee 3 Lite Thermostat

Generally, each additional service adds $10 to the cancellation fee described above (e.g. Climate, Lighting & Voice raises the cancellation fee to $40 from $10 per remaining month)