An approach is provided where a smart socket receives a request over a power line and generates a request based on the received request. The second request is transmitted over a power cord connecting the smart power socket to a device. A response is received from the device and a power setting is identified therefrom. The smart socket regulates electrical current flowing from the smart power socket to the device using the identified setting. In a related approach, the device receives a power down request over a power cord from a smart power socket. The device determines whether power is still needed at the device in order to perform one or more device operations. The device then returns a response to the smart power socket, with the response indicating whether power is still needed at the device.