BC Hydro is asking its customers to cut back on energy use amid an anticipated spike in power consumption prior to the Super Bowl.
According to the utility, in the four hours before the big game, B.C. consumers have historically cranked up the juice, using about eight per cent more power than normal.
While that number sounds small, BC Hydro says it’s the equivalent of cooking 2.4 million frozen pizzas.
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The power spike typically dies down at the game’s 3 p.m. kickoff, and the Crown corporation says it believes the main drain is pre-game cooking and snack preparation.
Once the game begins, BC Hydro says power usage drops back to what is normal for a Sunday.
That’s in part because people tend to gather in groups or head to bars to watch the game, meaning fewer total screens in use and fewer people doing power-intensive activities such as laundry.
In order to reduce the pre-game power spike, BC Hydro is offering football fans several power-saving tips:
- Skip the pre-heat: Unless the dish being prepared requires baking, most dishes do not require a pre-heated oven to cook
- Smaller appliances: Using a toaster oven, slow cooker or Instant Pot can result in energy savings of up to 75 per cent
- No heat-dry: Turning the dry heat function off on your dishwasher can cut its electricity use in half
- Lower the thermostat: Cooking food can increase your household temperature significantly. BC Hydro recommends you lower your thermostat to 18 degrees to offset kitchen heat