diff --git a/backends/advanced/scripts/create_plugin.py b/backends/advanced/scripts/create_plugin.py
index a38a3570..41b93c83 100755
--- a/backends/advanced/scripts/create_plugin.py
+++ b/backends/advanced/scripts/create_plugin.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ def create_plugin(plugin_name: str, force: bool = False):
 
     init_file = plugin_dir / '__init__.py'
     print(f"📝 Creating {init_file}")
-    init_file.write_text(init_content)
+    init_file.write_text(init_content, encoding="utf-8")
 
     # Create plugin.py with template
     plugin_content = f'''"""
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ async def _my_helper_method(self, data: Any) -> Any:
 
     plugin_file = plugin_dir / 'plugin.py'
     print(f"📝 Creating {plugin_file}")
-    plugin_file.write_text(plugin_content)
+    plugin_file.write_text(plugin_content,encoding="utf-8")
 
     # Create README.md
     readme_content = f'''# {class_name}
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ async def _my_helper_method(self, data: Any) -> Any:
 
     readme_file = plugin_dir / 'README.md'
     print(f"📝 Creating {readme_file}")
-    readme_file.write_text(readme_content)
+    readme_file.write_text(readme_content, encoding="utf-8")
 
     # Print success message and next steps
     print(f"\n✅ Plugin '{plugin_name}' created successfully!\n")
diff --git a/config/config.yml.template b/config/config.yml.template
index dcade594..9122f274 100644
--- a/config/config.yml.template
+++ b/config/config.yml.template
@@ -155,38 +155,32 @@ models:
         Content-Type: application/json
       response:
         type: json
-- name: stt-parakeet-stream
-  description: Parakeet streaming transcription over WebSocket
+- name: stt-deepgram-stream
+  description: Deepgram Nova 3 streaming transcription over WebSocket
   model_type: stt_stream
-  model_provider: parakeet
+  model_provider: deepgram
   api_family: websocket
-  model_url: ws://localhost:9001/stream
+  model_url: wss://api.deepgram.com/v1/listen
+  api_key: ${oc.env:DEEPGRAM_API_KEY,''}
   operations:
-    start:
-      message:
-        type: transcribe
-        config:
-          vad_enabled: true
-          vad_silence_ms: 1000
-          time_interval_seconds: 30
-          return_interim_results: true
-          min_audio_seconds: 0.5
-    chunk_header:
-      message:
-        type: audio_chunk
-        rate: 16000
-        width: 2
-        channels: 1
+    query:
+      model: nova-3
+      language: multi
+      smart_format: 'true'
+      punctuate: 'true'
+      encoding: linear16
+      sample_rate: 16000
+      channels: '1'
     end:
       message:
-        type: stop
+        type: CloseStream
     expect:
-      interim_type: interim_result
-      final_type: final_result
+      interim_type: Results
+      final_type: Results
       extract:
-        text: text
-        words: words
-        segments: segments
+        text: channel.alternatives[0].transcript
+        words: channel.alternatives[0].words
+        segments: channel.alternatives[0].paragraphs.paragraphs
 memory:
   provider: chronicle
   timeout_seconds: 1200