BC Hydro sees 13% usage hike during cold February
Posted February 27, 2019 6:16 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Temperature drops…thermostat goes up: BC Hydro has seen record power use this month as we deal with these chilly winter days.
According to the Crown corporation, we’ve been cranking the power up more than usual over the course of February.
“About 13 per cent higher than average,” explains Kevin Aquino with BC Hydro. “Electricity use is the highest between 4 and 8 p.m. weekday evenings when British Columbians come home from work, turn up the heat switch on the lights, do laundry, and make dinner.”
February also saw a couple of days were single-day records were broken, but Aquino says usage is carefully monitored to ensure there’s enough supply.
“We do have a team of engineers in place that monitors these loads and tracks weather patterns so in B.C. we’re very fortunate to have a flexible hydro-electric system that allows us to wrap up quickly if we need more power,” he adds. “We can also import power if required.”
He recommends you try to keep your thermostat under 21 degrees, adding that every degree over that will raise your bill costs by about five per cent.
“If you are at home relaxing or watching TV, set the thermostat at about 21 degrees Celsius. When you’re at home cooking or doing housework set it at 18 degrees Celsius, or when you’re away from home or sleeping set it at about 16 degrees Celsius.”
Heating costs can rise as much as 140 per cent during the winter months, Aquino adds.
