A cold snap affecting much of the province has pushed British Columbia past a decade-old record for electricity consumption.
According to a BC Hydro news release, the province's electricity demand peaked at 10,126 megawatts on the chilly evening of Jan. 3, breaking the previous high of 10,113 set in 2006.
Electricity demand typically peaks during evening hours in winter months as people return from work, heat their homes and use energy-intensive appliances.
In the winter, residential energy consumption increases an average 88 per cent, BC Hydro said.
The Crown corporation expected demand to remain high as the cold weather continues.
The news comes at a time when BC Hydro is making the case for its $8.8 billion Site C dam project, under construction on the Peace River near Fort St. John.
BC Hydro plans to spend around $2 billion a year to add power generation capacity and upgrade its existing infrastructure - including Site C and a new generating unit at the Revelstoke Dam.
"B.C. is fortunate to have a large hydroelectric system that provides firm, flexible power that allows BC Hydro to respond to spikes in electricity demand caused by cold weather," BC Hydro wrote in its release.
"This means the power will be there on the coldest, darkest days of the year - without brownouts or without having to import expensive power from other jurisdictions."
Site C critics say B.C.'s electricity demand can be met without flooding 83 kilometres of river valley, including farmland and First Nations cultural sites.
Critics of the project say the dam is not needed due to lower-than-projected energy demand in previous years.
