Architecture for thermostat control during peak intervals

A thermostat comprising:

• a housing;
• one or more memory devices comprising a stored setpoint schedule, wherein the stored setpoint schedule comprises a plurality of setpoints;
• one or more temperature sensors, each of the one or more temperature sensors being configured to provide temperature sensor measurements;
• a processing system disposed within the housing, the processing system being configured to be in operative communication with the one or more temperature sensors to receive the temperature sensor measurements, in operative communication with the one or more memory devices to determine a setpoint temperature, and in still further operative communication with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to control the HVAC system based at least in part on the setpoint temperature and the temperature sensor measurements;
• wherein the processing system is programmed or configured to control the HVAC system by performing operations comprising:
• receiving an indication that a total instantaneous energy usage rate for a structure in which the thermostat is installed is projected to exceed a threshold amount;
• and
• altering the stored setpoint schedule to reduce an energy usage rate of the HVAC system in response to receiving the indication that the total instantaneous energy usage rate for the structure in which the thermostat is installed is projected to exceed the threshold amount.