Demand for electricity has increased by 30% compared to last week due to extreme cold that sent temperatures as low as -45 degrees Celsius in parts of British Columbia.
Maximum hourly power requirement [aux heures de pointe] It reached a record level of 11,300 MW during the night from Friday to Saturday
Mentioned BC Hydro In a press release.
Despite very high demand, the province does not need to import electricity and shares some with its neighbours
The press release continues, Alberta was given 200 megawatts after an emergency alert was sent from the province's electricity system manager.
According to provincial Energy Minister Josie Osborne, extreme weather, such as cold and drought, puts communities at risk.
Thanks to the strength of our energy system and exceptional planning BC HydroWe can meet the needs of British Columbians while providing clean, reliable hydropower to our Alberta neighbors when they need it most.
Provincial Minister continues.
Chairman and CEO of BC HydroChris O'Riley, for his part, explains that the integrated hydroelectric system allowed electricity generation to increase rapidly to meet the high demand.
Our teams carefully prepare for cold weather events like this and our generation centers are operating at full capacity so we can provide clean power to our customers.
It last reached a record level of 10,977 MW in winter on December 21, 2022.
Severe cold warning
Environment Canada renewed its extreme cold warning once again on Sunday. The coldest area is Fort Nelson in the northeast of the province, where the temperature at its regional airport was -45.5°C.
An arctic air mass over northeastern British Columbia produces temperatures of -45°C. The combined effect of these temperatures and wind gusts of 15 km/h can cause a severe wind chill of -50.
Recalls the midnight warning.
On the North Coast and interior of the Central Coast, the wind factor is between -20 and -30, according to the federal agency, while it is -45 in the Chilcotin area and -40 in the Kootenay.
has West Kelowna On Saturday, when the maximum temperature was -18 degrees Celsius, two men and a dog found themselves on the water when the ice broke. Passers-by saved them until firefighters arrived.
Walkers willing to brave the extreme cold are reminded to be careful on banks and bodies of water, as the ice may not be thick enough to walk on.
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