Last week’s brutal cold snap only served to highlight our dependence upon hydroelectric power. Finally making it home after battling the bitter cold, many of us cranked up the heat in order to thaw out. Wrong move. The sudden increase in demand put on the province’s power grids can cause major problems for the people at Hydro-Québec, including large-scale blackouts. It is always important to reduce energy consumption, but this is especially true during periods of extreme cold in the peak hours from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The following energy conservation measures will help reduce your consumption both at home and in the
office:
• Turn off lights whenever and wherever possible
• Use only essential electrical appliances
• Reduce computer use to an absolute minimum
• Limit hot-water consumption
• Avoid using dishwashers, washers and dryers (in
residences for example)