Calgary's electricity use soars in frigid February, Enmax says

winter scene in calgary

CALGARY -

February was so cold in Calgary that the city used enough extra energy to power 3,400 homes for a whole year.

Enmax Power Corporation, the primary electricity utility in the city, says the city 's energy consumption was up 22,000 megawatt hours last month compared with Februray 2018.

"We've seen through this cold period our system has held up very well. It's been very reliable," Enmax vice-president Andre van Dijk told the Calgary Eyeopener on Friday. "You know, in the absence of a windstorm combined with cold temperatures and that sort of thing, the system has actually held up pretty well."

The past month was the fourth coldest in Calgary's history. The average temperature for last month was –18.1 C. The long-term average for February is –5.4 C.

 

Watching use, predicting issues

The electricity company monitors demand and load on a daily basis, always trying to predict issues before they happen, van Dijk said.

One of the issues they're watching is climate change, and how extreme temperatures and weather affect both the grid's reliability and the public's energy use.

The colder it gets, the higher you turn up the heat. The hotter it is, the more you use air conditioning.

He also noted that using fuels then contributes to climate change, creating a cycle.

​"We are seeing variations in temperature and we've seen large weather events across the continent, across the world, in fact, that impact electrical systems, whether that's flooding, as we've experienced here, or high winds, tornadoes," van Dijk said.

"Climate change and changing weather patterns have definitely had had an impact on us as an electrical industry."

In 2012, he said, Calgary switched from using the most power during winter to using the most during summer, in large part due to air conditioning, he said.

"Temperature is a strong influencer of energy consumption and of our demand," van Dijk said.

Christmas tree lights have also become primarily LED, van Dijk said, which cuts down on a big energy draw in the winter.

He said he expects more solar and other green resources will be added into the electrical system in the future to mitigate how much the increasingly levels of energy use impact climate change.

Related News

heating-and-electricity-costs-in-germany-set-to-rise

Heating and Electricity Costs in Germany Set to Rise

BERLIN - As Germany moves into 2025, the country is facing significant shifts in heating and electricity costs. With a variety of factors influencing energy prices, including geopolitical tensions, government policies, and the ongoing transition to renewable energy sources, consumers and businesses alike are bracing for potential changes in their energy bills. In this article, we will explore how heating and electricity costs are expected to evolve in Germany in the coming year and what that means for households and industries.

Energy Price Trends in Germany

In recent years, energy prices in Germany have experienced notable fluctuations, particularly due to…

READ MORE
cal iso map room

Cal ISO Warns Rolling Blackouts Possible, Calls For Conservation As Power Grid Strains

READ MORE

world-bank-backs-india-low-carbon-transition

World Bank Backs India's Low-Carbon Transition with $1.5 Billion

READ MORE

us solar and wind power future graph

Solar PV and wind power in the US continue to grow amid favourable government plans

READ MORE

nuclear poiwer

Is a Resurgence of Nuclear Energy Possible in Germany?

READ MORE