Heat wave results in record for summer electricity demand: SaskPower

All those whirring air conditioners in Saskatchewan on Wednesday helped set a record for summer peak electricity demand.

In a media release Thursday, SaskPower said customers were using 3,597 megawatts (MW) of power on Wednesday at 5:14 p.m., as temperatures soared across the province.

That demand was 46 MW more than the previous record of 3,551 MW, set July 13. The all-time demand record of 3,910 MW was set last winter, on Dec. 30.

“Extreme heat drives up electricity consumption, and higher peaks are a sign of the growing demand for power in Saskatchewan,” Kory Hayko, SaskPower’s vice-president of transmission and industrial services, said in the release.

“Demand will continue to grow in the coming years, and SaskPower is making significant investments in the grid to ensure that need is met with reliable and sustainable power.”

SaskPower offered customers tips to conserve electricity. Those include:

• Investing in a programmable or smart thermostat to ensure their home is being cooled only when needed. For every degree that air conditioning is lowered for an eight-hour period, customers could save up to two per cent on their power costs;
• Closing blinds and window coverings during the daytime and ensuring all doors and windows are closed tightly; and
• Delaying activities that produce heat and moisture, such as dishwashing or laundry, until later in the day or into the evening when temperatures are cooler.