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BC  

Addicted to air conditioning

A new report from BC Hydro shows that British Columbians are turning to air conditioning to deal with summer heat in increasing numbers.

A/C use in the province has more than tripled since 2001, according to the report. BC Hydro anticipates the upward trend will continue, as over 25 per cent of B.C. households are expected to consider buying air conditioning units this summer.

“Record heat and long stretches of dry weather are becoming the new norm in the province, and BC Hydro’s meteorologists are predicting another hot summer this year,” said Chris O’Riley, BC Hydro’s resident and chief operating officer. “While we typically see higher electricity demand in the cold, dark winter months, summer demand for power is rising largely due to higher A/C usage.”

BC Hydro says that A/C use around the province is growing, expanding away from traditional hotspots like Osoyoos, Penticton and Lytton. High-rise apartments are seeing an uptick in A/C adoption, due to being glass-walled and lacking air flow.

However, cold comfort has a cost. Running a central air conditioner for nine hours per day, over the course of the summer, costs around $300, compared to $6 for the same amount of time for a fan. BC Hydro estimates that every degree lower that an air conditioner is set at will increase cooling costs by three per cent. 

The BC Hydro survey shows Souther Interior residents are the best in the province at turning their A/C off when they leave their homes. 

Options to help save on cooling costs include shading windows, closing windows and doors, and turning off fans when you're not at home. 



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