B.C. Hydro is reporting a 15 per cent increase in power use and says the heatwave is the reason behind the spike.
“The sustained heat wave province-wide is having an impact on electricity demand,” according to the power company. “On Saturday evening, B.C. Hydro recorded an increase of 15 per cent in the peak hourly load over Saturday last week.”
The highest hourly demand on Saturday was 861 megawatts higher than the same day the week before. On Sunday, there was an increase of 10 per cent, or 617 megawatts, in the peak hourly load over the previous Sunday.
The increases are more than the equivalent of running another generating unit at the Mica dam and generating station, which is one of the largest generating stations in the province.
B.C. Hydro is expecting the higher than normal electricity demand to continue throughout the week as temperatures in the province continue to climb.
“Although there is a significant increase in provincial electricity load during a sustained heat wave, BC Hydro still records the highest demand in the winter. This is in contrast to utilities in California and Ontario, where the highest peaks are experienced in the summer months due to the widespread use of air conditioning.”
With that, come a few tips on how to save money during the heat wave:
- Keep the blinds down: shade your windows and block up to 65 per cent of the heat.
- Use a ceiling fan: ceiling fans are the most efficient option for cooling. Ensure the fan is rotating counter-clockwise.
- Keep the clothes dryer off: hang your laundry to dry and avoid the clothes dryer to keep unnecessary heat out of your house.
- Cook outside: use the barbeque to cook outside to reduce the use of your stove or oven.
- Take shorter, cooler showers.
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