Hydro-Québec Recommends You Lower Your Heating During Peak Periods Even If It's -38
Wear a sweater (or five) to help avoid straining the network.
Even when it's, say, minus 38 C outside, you should try to avoid heating at max temperature all day long — especially during the peak winter season between December and March — according to Hydro-Québec.
"In very cold weather, it is better to reduce consumption during peak periods so as not to place more strain on the network," according to the Crown corporation.
When it's this cold, the network is definitely strained. Hydro-Québec notes that its peak electricity consumption periods are from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. every day.
"Peaks, annual or daily, occur when the demand for electricity reaches its maximum and the Hydro-Québec network is the most in-demand because a very large number of customers use heating or energy-consuming devices at the same time," the company explains on its website.
According to a report from TVA Nouvelles, Hydro-Québec reached an eight-year record high electricity consumption as of 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning. With close to 39,900 Megawatts consumed, the province shattered a record that's been maintained since January 2014, TVA says.
"Small simple gestures help, such as lowering the heating by 1 C or 2 C, especially in unoccupied rooms, postponing the use of large appliances, postponing the recharging of one's electric vehicle, and reducing the duration of showers by one minute," Hydro-Québec wrote on Twitter.
At the time of writing, the temperature in Montreal is a bone-chilling -24 C with a wind chill factor that makes it feel like -35.
Environment Canada has also issued an "extreme cold" warning for much of the province.
