Drained during heat wave

Photo: CTV

Yesterday’s scorching heat didn’t just push the mercury to record-toppling heights in the Okanagan, it also caused the valley to suck up more electricity than at any other time this season.

Nicole Bogdanovic of Fortis BC says July 6 marked a high point in electricity consumption in the Okanagan, as fans and air conditioners hummed into overdrive as residents fought to combat the heat.

Bogdanovic says the region used 13 per cent more electricity yesterday than it did June 30 (the peak day last month), with demand at 465 megawatts yesterday, compared to 411 megawatts last week.

That demand included electricity use from FortisBC customers in the Kelowna area and the South Okanagan.

Even outside of the region, high temperatures drove electricity demand to new heights.

Yesterday BC Hydro, which supplies electricity to most of the province, recorded the highest peak hourly demand of the summer, at 7,255 megawatts.

According to Susie Hill, that’s an increase of nearly 10 per cent compared to the same day one week earlier.

Hill said the spike was likely due to exactly what you would expect during a heat wave: more people turning on fans and air conditioners, and refrigeration units working harder.

Although there is a significant increase in provincial electricity load during a sustained heat wave, Hill said BC Hydro still records the highest demand in the winter. This year,  the highest hourly peak demand was recorded on Jan. 3, when consumption reached 10,126 megawatts between 5 and 6 p.m.