WATCH ABOVE: While the blazing hot forecast is welcome for many, it can come with some dangerous consequences. Stefan Keyes takes a look.
CALGARY – For the next week, Calgary’s forecast is calling for temperatures between 25 and 33 degrees Celsius—causing Enmax to brace for a spike in power usage.
According to Global News’ weather specialist Gemma Lynne Stroobant says temperatures could reach over 32 degrees on Sunday—which could break the current 32.8 record for June 28—and with humidity it will feel more like 35 degrees.
“Drink lots of water, limit your time outdoors, as heatstroke is likely when it gets this warm,” said Stroobant.
Enmax said in recent years, Calgarians are consuming just as much power in the summer as in the winter, as more residents turn up the air conditioning to try to beat the heat.
The company isn’t very concerned about blackouts, but suggested some tips to consider.
“Just about anything that you have plugged in—electronics or just small appliances and that kind of stuff—even when you don’t actually have those things turned on, they are drawing power, just by virtue of the fact that they’re plugged in,” said Enmax spokesperson Doris Kaufmann-Woodcock. “Using a power bar, where you can turn off one source by flipping the switch, is one way to conserve power.”
Kaufmann-Woodcock said other tips include using more energy-efficient light bulbs, and avoiding busy times during the day like the dinner hour to consume electricity.
The daily average of electricity usage in the city is 1350 megawatts of power, but Enmax is predicting Calgarians will use 1637 megawatts during this hot weekend—which would be a new record.
Comments