Heat Wave Increases Hydro Consumption, But Not to Winter Levels
Prince George, B.C. – Yes, this week's heat wave has led to an increase in hydro consumption, but nowhere near levels seen during winter months.
"We are a winter-peaking utility – we see our highest consumption on the coldest darkest day of the year. Although electricity use increases during a sustained heat wave, the increase is not close to what we would see during high demand periods in the winter," says Simi Heer, Manager of Media Relations and Issues Management with BC Hydro.
She says the highest peak load recorded in recent years was on November 26, 2006, when we hit 10,113 megawatts between 5 and 6 pm.
"In comparison in the past 12 days, our highest peak happened on the evening of August 11, when we hit 7,468 megawatts between 5 and 6 pm," says Heer.
She says generally during a sustained heat wave in the summer, we can see an increase of anywhere from 300 to 600 megawatts for peak demand.
Despite the increased consumption over the summer, Heer says there are low cost options for keeping your home cool in the summer heat:
1. Keep cool air in and hot air out by locking out air during the day and opening windows to let cooler air in during the evenings.
2. Keeping the blinds down and shading the windows can block up to 65% of the heat.
3. Use a ceiling fan. They can use one-tenth the energy of an air-conditioner.
4. Hang dry half of your laundry(and save up to $50).
5. Cooking on the barbecue will reduce the use of your stove and oven.
6. BC Hydro estimates you can save $15 per person by taking shorter and cooler showers.
Comments
oh my, looks like they might be looking for and possibly found an excuse to raise rates…
or are we just cutting into their bottom line by using power they could sell elsewhere for more?
wonder when the ‘MYSTERIOUS” power outages are going to start?
The smart meters are programmed to shut down automatically when you go past the point of super power hog!
What jibberish.
Wow, and somehow I managed to figure out to do these things already. Have done most of them forever, basic logic really…
Slow news day?
sorry NoWay but the meters are not active YET….
but they are built with the ability to be shut down by Hydro remotely…..
so artificial power outages are definitely a possibility….which leaves it open for hydro to say….
“Ooooops wonder what happened there?”
I am not saying they will…
but they could…and sell that power elsewhere for a higher price….
Will they?
we will have to wait and see….
I think it will…
We have to save all the KWH we can, so Hydro
can Power all the NEW Mines being build, but
not here same usage over the last 35 Years.
The only Change more Money charged for same amount of KWH!
I am not at all opposed to wind farms, although some people are of the opinion that they kill a lot of birds and bats.
However, with what has been a very hot summer, I have noticed that our many hot sunny days have been very “calm” hot sunny days!
Wind farms don’t generate a lot of power on “calm” days! Sure glad that we have hydro-electric power!
Don’t like hydro-electric power? Then how about we burn up our supply of natural gas, or we can burn some coal, or perhaps we should build a nuclear power plant or two. I’m sure that the lower mainlanders would love one or two of these options being built in the Fraser Valley!
Don’t get hot headed over my comment, haha! Stay cool today ;-)
Cold days also no wind. The overpriced inefficient wind farms only manage to generate about 25to30% of capacity over a year that is why site c is required, to cover non firm expensive power from the IPPs.
The smart meters are in service.
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