Around 22,000 households in Colorado lost the ability to control their thermostats after the power company seized control of them during a heatwave.

After temperatures soared past 90 degrees, residents were left confused when they tried to adjust their air conditioning and found locked controls displaying a message that said “energy emergency.”

Xcel confirmed to local news station Denver7 that “22,000 customers who had signed up for the Colorado AC Rewards program were locked out of their smart thermostats for hours on Tuesday.”

“I mean, it was 90 out, and it was right during the peak period,” Tony Talarico told the news station. “It was hot.”

Talarico said he is normally able to override the “energy emergency” message, but not on this occasion.

“So, our thermostat was locked in at 78 or 79,” he said.