WEYBURN – For the second consecutive day, Saskatchewan has set a new record in power consumption. At 6:01 p.m. on December 30, 2021, Saskatchewan homes and businesses reached 3,910 megawatts (MW) in power use.
The previous record of 3,868 MW was set on Dec. 29 during the supper hours. The difference of 42 MW is equal to the power use of approximately 42,000 Saskatchewan homes.
“It’s no surprise that we’re seeing increased power consumption as these frigid temperatures remain in the province,” said Kory Hayko, Vice President of Transmission and Industrial Services at SaskPower. “Breaking all-time peak demand records is uncommon, but to do it two times in as many days is quite rare – an occurrence we were prepared for.”
At peak, SaskPower had a comfortable amount of capacity in reserve, should the demand rise even further.
Heating and cooling represent roughly a quarter of a household’s power bills. An easy way to reduce consumption and save on power bills during extreme cold snaps is to lower the household temperature two to three degrees when not at home and at night while sleeping.
