Energy use spikes during cold snap
With temperatures plunging below -30°C last week, Alberta set a new record for electricity consumption.
Citizens across the province used 10,315 Megawatts on Jan. 15 and 10,609 Megawatts on Jan. 16.
This bests a record set on Dec. 14, 2009, when Albertans used 10,236 Megawatts.
In Airdrie, the city had a 16 per cent week-over-week energy surge, from 44,103 KWh to 51,356 KWh, for Jan. 9 to 16.
The numbers should come as no surprise, according to Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO).
“The current cold front, combined with overall provincial growth in demand for electricity, are factors contributing to the record high levels occurring this week,” said John Esaiw, AESO’s director of forecasting.
“Alberta’s power demand grew by 2.6 per cent last year and will likely grow again in 2012,” added Esaiw.
“The transmission capacity has not kept pace with combined load and generation development in Alberta,” said Esaiw. “We need to have that transmission infrastructure in place ahead of our growing demand for electricity to ensure that investment, market access and economic development are not compromised.”
Lisa Brake with FortisAlberta in Airdrie said the high consumption doesn’t affect its system.
“It’s operations as usual,” she said. “However, we like to help our customers with energy efficiency. When you use more electricity, you pay more.”
Brake said people can do simple things that add up to big savings when it comes to power usage.
Installing a timer on your block heater, having full loads of clothing in the dryer and shortening the amount of time you use a space heater can help lower bills, she said.
Brake said she had no knowledge of brownouts or blackouts in Airdrie during the days of record power consumption.
A chinook hit Airdrie the weekend of Jan. 20 and raised temperatures considerably from the week before.
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