Extreme heat expected to bring extreme power consumption, SaskPower says

Sask. under heat warnings WATCH: Much of southern and central Saskatchewan remain under heat warnings on Monday. Sabeen Ahmad has your forecast.

Hot and humid conditions over the next couple of days has led SaskPower to share some power-saving tips.

Large swaths of southern Sask. were put under heat warnings Monday as daily highs are expected to reach 35 degrees Celsius, combined with overnight lows near 16 degrees forecasted until Tuesday.

“SaskPower anticipates high peak loads today and tomorrow,” SaskPower’s release read.

“Heat also affects the efficiency of some SaskPower generation facilities, and so high demand can put a strain on the grid. So, any conserving of energy is welcome.”

According to the provincial crown, cooling homes is responsible for a significant portion of customers’ power bills during the hot summer months.

SaskPower recommends only cooling your home when needed, making sure blinds and window coverings are closed during the day and delaying activities that produce heat and moisture until nighttime – such as dishwashing or laundry.

“For every degree that air conditioning is lowered for an eight-hour period, customers could save up to two per cent on power costs,” the release read.

More information can be found on SaskPower’s website.