End-Use Load Flexibility: Connected Water Heater Study

Since 2023 in Washington and 2025 in Oregon, state regulations have required electric storage water heaters with capacities of 40–120 gallons to include an EcoPort®, enabling direct communication with the water heater through the ANSI/CTA-2045 standard. As adoption of EcoPort-enabled water heaters increases, utilities have a growing opportunity to leverage these devices as flexible grid resources.

To better understand this opportunity, NEEA’s End-Use Load Flexibility (EULF) Special Project partnered with SkyCentrics to evaluate the deployment and performance of connected residential water heaters across Oregon and Washington. The study examined customer and installer participation, EcoPort connectivity, CTA-2045 compliance, customer satisfaction of load flexibility programs, and the overall ability of connected water heaters to shift electrical demand while maintaining customer comfort. Findings from the study are intended to inform future utility programs and identify Market Transformation opportunities that can accelerate the adoption of grid-responsive water heating technologies.