Saskatchewan witnessed a surge in electricity demand, setting a new summer record on Monday at 4:55 p.m., reaching a staggering peak consumption of 3,669 megawatts.
This breaks the record set last August by 72 megawatts.
Joel Cherry, a spokesperson for SaskPower, shed light on the significance of this record and the contributing factors.
“That's the highest summer peak we've ever experienced here,” he stated. “We tend to see the highest power usage when it's very cold or very hot. The highest loads that we see are typically in extremely cold parts of winter, so, the overall record is higher, it's closer to 3900. But this is the most power we've seen at any one time during the summer months and a lot of that has to do with cooling. People and businesses using air conditioners and that sort of thing. The heat that we've seen over the last couple of days has really driven power consumption.”
Cherry explained that the province's growing population and increased industrial activity have been contributing to higher power usage over the years. While new peak records aren't set annually, the gradual rise in power demands remains clear, with heat waves only adding to the situation.
“When you have a period like right now where the temperatures are in the 30s in most of the province, and certainly in the places where the most people and the most industrial activity is, like Saskatoon or Regina, that's when you really see the power demand start to go up.”
The spike in electricity consumption has not been without challenges for SaskPower. The Poplar River Power station, one of their largest power stations, has been offline due to flooding issues near Corak. Efforts are underway to bring the plant back online, but it is expected to take another week or two.
In addition, the hot weather affects the output of critical power facilities like the Chinook Power Station near Swift Current. The facility uses cooling towers, which can be more difficult to keep cool during hot summer days.
SaskPower managed to offset some of the challenges on Monday by relying on wind power. At the peak, approximately 363 megawatts of wind energy were available.
Joel Cherry warned that the high temperatures are expected to persist for the next few days, raising the possibility of breaking the newly set peak record once again.
Apart from the strain on the power grid, the scorching heat also translates into higher cooling costs for consumers. Cherry advised customers to take steps to reduce power consumption during this time, suggesting simple actions like setting air conditioners to slightly higher temperatures, avoiding the use of large appliances during peak hours, and keeping blinds closed to block out the sun's heat.
"By reducing power consumption, customers can not only lower their energy bills but also help alleviate the strain on our power grid during these hot days," Cherry concluded.