SaskPower sets summer demand record as people crank up air conditioning

The heat wave baking Saskatchewan this week is officially a record-setter for SaskPower.

In a media release Friday, the Crown corporation said it set a new summer demand record for electricity on Wednesday at 5:22 p.m.

The company said demand reached 3,551 megawatts (MW), breaking the previous record of 3,547 MW that was set on June 30 of last year. SaskPower said the difference of four MW is the equivalent of about 4,000 average Saskatchewan homes.

The all-time demand record of 3,910 MW was set on Dec. 30, 2021.

The new mark for summer demand could be broken in the coming days with high temperatures expected for the rest of the week.

“Saskatchewan is no stranger to extreme temperatures, and with every new demand record set, SaskPower continues to provide stable, reliable power for our customers,” Kory Hayko, SaskPower’s vice-president of transmission and industrial services, said in the release.

“We have a number of protocols and contingencies in place to ensure that throughout this current heatwave, SaskPower’s system will deliver the power our customers need.”

SaskPower offered some tips to help customers conserve electricity, including:

• Ensuring their air conditioner and furnace are operating as efficiently as possible by having them inspected routinely by a licensed professional;
• Considering investing in a programmable or smart thermostat to ensure their home is being heated or cooled only when needed;
• Closing blinds and window coverings during the daytime to keep out the heat, 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.