Last year I wrote about my disappointment with NVenergy's incentive program. If last year was a let down, this year is a cruel joke. Essentially as a voluntary participant in in their "Cool Share" program, NVenergy has installed a special thermostat that permits them to shut off our air conditioning system during the hottest part of the day for up to 4 hours at a time. In exchange, last year they sent us a check for $15 to cover the entire year of sweating. This year they changed the program. Instead of a check they emailed us a multi-page form to fill out online. At the end of the form, instead of sending us a check they told us we would get another email in a couple of months with further instructions. That time did pass and they sent yet a third email telling us to wait for even further information. Finally we got an email from Citi Bank telling us we would get a $15 prepaid VIRTUAL debit card if we would fill out just one more form, so I did that and sure enough I got a fourth email with the typical 16 digit card number on it. There are several catches however: The $15 evaporates if you don't spend it within 30 days. You can't spend more than the $15 value on the card. You must use it online. It does not work in retail stores. They suggest Amazon or Target. So I logged on to Amazon and found something that I wouldn't otherwise have purchased except I had exactly $15 to spend, and had to do so within 30 days or forfeit all of it. Amazon said the number was invalid. Citi says it IS valid but has no idea why Amazon won't accept it. The Cool Share customer service people have no ideas either except to tell me that I cannot apply the $15 to my electric bill. What a wonderful way to reward your customers for participating in you energy conservation program! Eventually I did get it straightened out with Amazon after an hour on the phone with various customer service departments that never did have a solution for me.