High temperatures boosting demand for power, Toronto Hydro warns

Toronto Hydro is sweating the high temperatures in the city as it asks customers to reduce their consumption of electricity. 

On Wednesday, a heat warning was in effect as the humidity made it feel like 38C in Toronto. This prompted more and more Torontonians to reach for their thermostats — but the power distribution company wants you to turn down your air conditioning instead of turning it up. 

"The hot weather is causing an increase in power consumption," said Toronto Hydro spokeswoman Tori Gass via email. "We're asking customers to reduce their AC use to help lessen demand."

The utility is encouraging people to turn off their air conditioners when they are not home.

Also, the company said they would like to see the thermostat set at 25C for eight hours a day before shifting to 22C during off-peak hours. 

"Doing this can save up to $18 a month," Toronto Hydro said in a release.

"This summer is turning out to be hotter than last year," Gass said. "It's still early in the season, so we're encouraging our customers to conserve electricity to help reduce strain on the grid and also help them control their electricity costs."

Using fans instead of air conditioning could help save you money on cooling costs, the company said.

The temperature is expecting to cool down with the mercury dipping to an expected high of 25C on Friday and 23C on Saturday.