REGINA – Frigid temperatures across Saskatchewan have sent power demands soaring to unprecedented levels.
SaskPower, the Crown utility, says the province set a record for electricity consumption on Friday when 3,543 megawatts were used at 5:24 p.m.
That was almost 100 megawatts more than the day before, which had already broken last January’s record of 3,379.
According to Environment Canada, the high temperature in Regina on that day was -25.6 C and the low was -33.7 C, while some places were even colder.
For example, Environment Canada’s website says the minimum temperature in Val Marie, Sask., was -39.6 C.
SaskPower president Robert Watson says the company expects to break the record again in the coming winter months, in part because more people living in the province means more power use.
In 2013, demand for electricity was forecast to increase by 6% compared with the annual average of 1.4% between 2000 and 2010.
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