BC breaks summer electricity demand record for second day in a row

British Columbians have been cranking up the air conditioning this week and the province’s electricity grid is feeling the heat.

BC Hydro says it set a new all-time summer peak electricity demand record Wednesday evening, breaking another record established just 24 hours earlier.

According to the organization, preliminary data shows electricity demand reached 8,870 megawatts between 5 and 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22nd.

That was 155 megawatts higher than Tuesday evening, when demand reached 8,715 megawatts during the same one-hour period.

Tuesday’s record had already surpassed the previous summer high of 8,652 megawatts, which was set in August 2025.

In other words, BC has now broken its summer electricity demand record on back-to-back days.

BC Hydro says the soaring demand is largely being driven by air conditioning use as extreme heat continues across the province.

Nearly 70% of households in BC now have some form of air conditioning, making cooling a much bigger part of the province’s summer electricity use than it once was.

The record comes as Victoria city council voted unanimously Thursday to begin developing new cooling protections for renters. The city will explore bylaw changes that could prevent landlords from prohibiting portable air conditioners and look at options for keeping rental units below 26°C.

The changes have not yet been adopted. The work follows the deadly 2021 heat dome, which resulted in 619 deaths across BC, many inside homes without adequate cooling.

Despite the record-breaking demand, BC Hydro says its hydroelectric system continues to operate reliably and has enough capacity to meet customers’ needs.

The utility is continuing to monitor conditions as the hot weather persists.

Even with more electricity than ever during the summer, demand remains well below what BC Hydro typically manages during the coldest periods of winter.

For those looking to cool down without sending their electricity bill soaring, BC Hydro recommends using fans, closing blinds and drapes during the hottest parts of the day and keeping windows and doors shut when it is warmer outside than inside.

According to the utility company, running a fan for nine hours a day costs approximately $7 over the entire summer. Closing blinds and drapes can also block up to 60 per cent of the heat entering a home.

Customers are also encouraged to regularly replace air conditioner and air purifier filters to keep the equipment working efficiently.