I'm not going to knock the story (oddly I was checking my home's year on year power reduction just before I read it) but I have to wonder if there is a connection to the previous story about SuperDaE (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5274345)

Specifically the bit that purportedly showed a screenshot of "Control power to individual outlets" on the MS network?

I know, probably coincidence.