BC Hydro says that the peak electricity demand during the recent arctic-outflow deep freeze shattered a record set last year.

The electricity demand on Monday (December 27) between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. hit 10,902 megawatts.

That was 325 megawatts higher than the previous record of 10, 577 megawatts set in 2020.

Single-day records as low as -40.6°C (Fort Nelson) were experienced throughout the province. Wind-chill values of about -20°C had been predicted for Metro Vancouver and the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.

BC Hydro spokesperson Simi Heer said heating demand was probably responsible for the new mark. “The record represents a single moment in the hour when demand for electricity was the highest yesterday,” Heer said in a December 28 release. “Most of the increase is likely due to additional home heating required during this cold snap.”

The Monday hourly peak demand was 18 percent higher than that of Christmas Eve.

“BC Hydro has enough supply options in place to meet increasing electricity demand,” Heer added. “However, if British Columbians want to help ease some of the demand on the system during peak times, we encourage shifting activities like doing laundry or running dishwashers to earlier in the day or later in the evening.”

The provincial electric utility advises those looking to conserve power to obtain a programmable thermostat that will adjust the temperature of a living space to reflect the times of different activities engaged in by its residents.

The recommended temperature for when residents are sleeping or away from home is 16°C. When doing housework/cleaning, a two-degree raise to 18°C is advised.

If you are watching TV, reading, or just relaxing, a further upward adjustment, to 21°C, is the guidance.

For more power-conservation tips, go here.