Safety power connecting system and method for electric water heaters

A method of preventing water within a tank of an electric water heater to drop below a safe temperature, during a load shedding period, other than a full emergency grid failure, by a power provider whereby to prevent the propagation of harmful bacteria in a top portion of said tank, said method comprising the steps of:

• i) continuously sensing water temperature in a top portion of said tank,
• ii) feeding temperature signals to a control device by said sensor for detecting the temperature of water in said top portion of said tank, and
• iii) communicating a response signal to said power provider when said control device receives an information signal from said power provider to shut down said water heater for a shut down time period, said response signal communicating that said water heater will not shut down in an event when said temperature signal is inferior to a predetermined desired temperature in said top portion of said tank,
• iv) automatically shutting down said water heater when said temperature signal attains said desirable temperature during said shut down period, and wherein
• v) during a full emergency grid failure said control device is rendered inactive due to a lack of a power supply source to operate one or more resistive heating elements of said water heater, said power provider providing an override signal to said control device to directly control power to said water heater in a controlled sequence not to overload the electrical grid.