Hydro Use Climbs as Temps Drop
Thursday, December 8, 2016 @ 5:57 AM
On Tuesday, electricity demand peaked at 9,345 megawatts between 5 and 6 p.m. This was 1,000 megawatts higher than the peak demand on Tuesday of last week.
The cold snap has BC Hydro prepping for peak loads between 9,400 and 10 thousand megawatts this week. The high end of the expected demand is just shy of the all time peak hourly demand which was set on November 29th of 2006. During 5 and 6 p.m. on that day, consumption hit 10,113 megawatts.
BC Hydro has some tips on how to reduce consumption, but stay warm at the same time:.
- Install a programmable thermostat to schedule specific times to heat a home.
- Put on a sweater instead of turning up the temperature.
- Unplug unused electronics and use an advanced power bar to manage standby power.
- Wash laundry in cold water.
Comments
So according to Wikipedia BC Hydro’s max capacity is 11000 megawatts depending on water levels in various reservoirs around the province. 9300 peak demand is cutting it close but it’s still got a ways to go before max.
IMO it makes sense to build site C now. Demand for electricity is only going up. It makes sense to build the infrastructure now to avoid possible shortages in the future.
You are correct. We are going to need the site C but some people can’t see past next week.
The horse’s mouth (BCHydro) information is as follows:
Hydroelectric total maximum sustained generating capacity is 10,927.2 Megawatts.
There are 3 thermal plants which can produce 1,069 Megawatts.
Then there are 14 small community diesel generation plants for an additional capacity of 52.7 Megawatts. These are not integrated with the provincial system.
The total sustainable capacity is 12,048.9 Megawatts.
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There is no mention in the BCHydro message that many of those who have natural gas heat, also have at least natural gas fired hot water tanks, some have gas ovens/ranges, and there are likely some who have gas heated driers.
They also fail to mention that this is the darkest part of the year which requires more artificial illumination; also xmas lights; and finally we likely have more people staying in to be entertained by TV’s computers, etc. all requiring electricity.
Burrard Thermal is scheduled to close sooner rather than later, the date was this year but keeps getting pushed back – but the greens want it closed. That is 950 MW off the table as it will no longer generate but supply voltage support to the lower mainland transmission system
Burrard Thermal was also responsible for 7-10 percent of BCs total greenhouse gas emissions annually according to the greens
But also at -20 a lot more of us in the north are plugging in our vehicles which draw on the grid than at -2
Site C is NOT needed. Hydro installed turbines at the Mica dam (didn’t generate much news despite the $714 million price tag – thank you taxpayers!) and it, and other dams have the capacity for more turbines.
ht tps://www.bchydro.com/news/press_centre/news_releases/2016/mica-upgrades-complete.html
The review panel chair is now speaking out: “No need for Site C”
ht tps://www.desmog.ca/2016/06/20/no-need-site-c-review-panel-chair-speaks-out-against-dam-new-video
The Mica upgrade was to replace the Burrard Thermal plant capacity
Smartenergyoxford.ca this Canadian county is in the news in Germany but not here . That shows the influence our oily press has over our information . The thought of a new refinery or pipeline and the press goes hyperbolic . New energy sources coming on line doesn’t even get a line in print .
will venture a guess that natural gas usage has increased as well… and a slight dip in sunscreen usage :)
Stay warm everyone..including your pets :)
Hydro #1 Reason to be here , is to sell Power (kwh) so don’t give me this to wash in cold Water . How about change the Heating Source of all the Lower Mainland Apartments to NG and build a few Gasfired Powerplants right at the Gasfields, don’t sent LNG to Asia ,burn it here!
I agree Outwest. A couple of natural gas generating plants in BC would solve our so called electrical problem for many years to come.
Those in favour of Site C are those who stand to make some money on it being built. Site C is all smoke and mirrors.
N. Gas generators don’t need to be built all at once either, no such massive cost as site C. They can be built one at a time as demand rises and there wouldn’t be any destruction of valuable farmland.
Coal and nuclear generation could also be used. Hey even the ultra geen Germany is building coal, seems wind and solar not so good after billions spent and about the highest electrical costs in the world from their green failure.
They would not be building additional thermal plants using natural gas anywhere but in the southern part of BC where the population is and furthest away from the hydro generated from the Peace.
They would be building such plant on valuable farm land, much more valuable than the farm land in the Peace.
Of course, if you are a believer in global warming then you can wait another 50 years and the farm land may produce the same high end fruit and vegetable crops.
Hopefully this deep freeze ends before the major outage planned for the 19th. I know several people planning on taking the day off work to ensure their houses and water lines don’t freeze up. The majority of properties in the area don’t have city water, without power well pumps don’t work, so we won’t have the luxury of cracking open a tap to keep the lines open.
Wash in cold water and put on an extra sweater what a crock of BS. We are not short of power. Who comes up with these stories? Has been -20 for 4-5 days and the sky is falling in. Lobbyists at work for site C.
Perhaps Hydro could reduce the rates, which would increase consumption, which should generate the same or more revenue. That way we all win. After all this facility is owned by BC Tax/Rate payers.
Hydro’s management, along with the management of other Government entities needs to be audited by an independent auditor.
Rates are partly going up to pay for the expensive contracts forced on Hydro by the government for run of the river generation and wind generation. Site c is also required to back up that generation so its like paying for two sources of generation when only one required. Very expensive game this government is playing. Lots of people connected to the fiberals making big coin out of this scam. The Tyee had a very good write up on these doings.
Last night I read a review of the 2017 Chevy Bolt, an all electric vehicle. I wondered how it would do in this weather? I can well imagine it’s range would be dramatically reduced, what with the huge electrical demand of a cabin heating system. On top of that, we all know how cold weather affects battery performance.
The review also suggested that handling was very poor with the car having no appetite for faster speeds due to it low rolling resistance skinny “eco tires” that struggled to find traction. I would imagine that softer compound winter tires would affect driving range due to their increased rolling resistance, but the poor handling would probably persist due to the skinny tire size. The fact that this teeny tiny car also weighs 3569 pounds certainly won’t help with it’s poor handling and propensity towards understeering!
The review was an American review and it quoted the price in U.S. dollars at a whopping $29,995.00, and that’s AFTER a $7,500.00 Federal EV Tax Credit! OUCH!
For now, here in the cold northern regions of our country, I see a low cost, fuel efficient internal combustion powered Honda Civic, Hyundai Excel or Ford Fiesta being a much warmer and more cost effective option! And it won’t be adding the BC Hydro’s electrical load!
I wonder how the City’s LEAF is doing in this cold weather? Perhaps I should try to locate and ask the sucker who’s stuck driving it today?
The Nissan Leaf that the city bought and renewed the lease on is almost usless in this weather. With the heater and windshield wipers on it can barely make it from city hall to the uni.
Its a toy for a few souls to play with on out dime. Those souls say it was acquired to evaluate electric vehicles for city use. Well this one is under used, not practical and why is the city paying money to evaluate, let some one spend the money for that. Fiscal responsibility by the city, my butt.
When is the evaluation due?
Already done last spring
ht tp://princegeorge.ca/cityhall/mayorcouncil/councilagendasminutes/Agendas/2016/2016-04-11/documents/Report_Nissan_Leaf_-_April_1_2016_AB.pdf
By the time site C is up and running (everything takes time) science will have come up with batteries that have twice or more the storage capacity that present batteries have. Then we will have ample capacity to charge large numbers of electric vehicles. Already in the Lower Mainland all new condos and apartments must include a plug-in outlet for each parking stall.
PG batteries don’t generate electricity.
You really do not read very well, do you?
You introduce words that are not even in the comment.
Once again, read for content.
” …….. batteries that have twice or more the STORAGE capacity that present batteries have.”
Gopg I will type slowly for your understanding, I will clarify
If and when there is a substantial change over to electric vehicles it will take alot more output than site c will provide. Site C capacity is already mostly taken up to provide back up for wind and run of river. When the wind dont blow which is often, and run of river generation has low or no output where will the power come from. Sure we can build gas generation but that is still doubling up on generation.
Like I said batteries do not generate electricity.
I should say the wind rarely blows strong enough for full output. Notice when it is cold there is very little wind if any just when the output is needed most.
On your planet is air more viscous when it’s cold or when it’s warm ? And does air viscousity have any affect on foils ? And are electric motor/generator (stator)coils conduct electricity better in cold or hot ? Are you trying to be a comedian ?
On your planet is air more viscous when it’s cold or when it’s warm ? And does air viscousity have any affect on foils ? And , do electric motor/generator (stator)coils conduct electricity better in cold or in hot ? Are you trying to be a comedian ? Or , do you not know anything about what you are talking about again ?
You having a stroke Ataloss?
If the cold snap is like the one we are experiencing right now with little to no wind you have a problem with power generation from your turbine, doesn’t matter how “thick” the air is around it if there is no wind to blow on the turbine.
ht tp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1345233/Its-use-waiting-turbines-warm-snow-returns.html
Wonder what will happen when all these higher capacity batteries start exploding in driveways – maybe ask Samsung how they dealt with it?
Alberta wants to shut down coal and go to gas and wind. Well right now coal is generating the most with gas a very close second. Wind 0 yes zero, nothing nada.
The BC government keeps the wind output in BC a secret, why is that?
The amount of agricultural land required for a natural gas electrical generating plant in the Greater Vancouver area, or anywhere for that matter is insignificant to the amount of farmland that will be flooded by Site C.
Just a reminder that 7% of the electricity produced by the Bennett dam is lost during transmission to Vancouver. Therefore having a gas generating plant (or two) in that area, would amount to huge savings just in transmission costs alone.
We should keep in mind that Site C is about getting Ms Christy re elected, not about any serious need for power.
No one on this site can show us anything specific that would indicate that the US or Alberta would buy our surplus power from Site C. In other words we are building this project based on nothing more than a baseless assumption.
How in hell can we sit back and allow this Government to do such a moronic project. Do we not have a modicum of intelligence.
Actually power is being bought and sold every day by powerex. Also powerex buys and sells power between utilities in the US using our reserve generation as a guarantee of delivery incase the utility being bought from cannot deliver. The beauty of our hydro electric power.
Go to the Hydro website and you can see tie line flows into or out of the US or Alberta.
Ataloss you fail basic meterology. When we are having a cold spell there is generally a high pressure system in play and no or little wind. Also applies to a heat wave.
Still waiting
Oh ataloss I suggest you aquate yourself with the definitions of viscous and viscosity.
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