Quebecers break record for electricity demand as cold snap continues
The ongoing cold snap has Quebecers cranking up the heat in their homes, which Hydro-Quebec says has caused a record peak in electricity demand.
In a Tweet Friday, the hydroelectricity supplier said demand across the province reached 42,700 megawatts around 5:30 p.m.
This beats the previous record of around 40,500 MW, set in January of last year.
A similar peak is expected to be reached Saturday morning.
Temperatures in Montreal reached a low of -42 C with the wind chill on Friday.
An extreme cold warning has been issued across parts of the province, including the Montreal, Laval, Longueuil-Varennes and Châteauguay-La Prairie areas.
Environment Canada says wind chill temperatures could reach as low as -48 C overnight.
Hydro-Quebec is asking those affected to limit their energy consumption as much as possible.
It recommends Quebecers reduce their heating by one or two degrees, especially in unoccupied rooms, and use less hot water.
In addition, residents are asked to reduce the use of major appliances, particularly the dryer and dishwasher.
The state-owned company says these measures will reduce pressure on its network and reduce electricity imports from neighbouring networks.
With files from The Canadian Press.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.