Hydro-Quebec Faces Record Demand

"Electricity demand from Quebecers reached a historical peak at 35,009 megawatts," said Nicolas Carette, a spokesman for Hydro-Quebec, one of North America's largest electricity producers and distributors.

One thousand megawatts is enough to power some 160,000 residential customers.

"The weather had been relatively mild in the past four winters," Carette told Reuters.

But for more than a week, Canada has been dealing with a nasty combination of low temperatures and extreme wind chill. The deep freeze has locked in much of the country, with heavy snowfalls battering the East Coast.

In Montreal and Quebec City, temperatures, including the windchill factor, plunged to minus 37 degrees Celsius (-35 Fahrenheit).

Power use in Canada is often highest in winter months, boosted by added heating and lighting demands.

Carette said the new records were also a consequence of the province's economic growth and record residential construction.