SaskPower breaks summer power demand record as heat blankets province

As the mercury rises, so does the demand for power in Saskatchewan as people try to keep cool.

A spokesperson for SaskPower said the Crown utility corporation set a new summer power demand record of 3,543 megawatts (MW).

Get daily National news

Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you'll never miss the day's top stories.

Sign up for daily National newsletter Get Started

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

The difference of 19 MW from the previous record is equivalent to the amount of electricity needed for approximately 20,000 Saskatchewan homes.

The previous summer record of 3,524 MW was set on Aug. 10, 2018. The all-time record for demand come on Dec. 29, 2017.

In order to meet demand, the power company buys additional power from neighbouring jurisdictions and works with the largest users to cut consumption during peak hours.