Manitoba Hydro sets new daily record for electricity demand

Manitoba set a new record for electricity demand on the morning of Jan. 20, when temperatures in Winnipeg dropped to –32.7 C.

At 8 a.m. that day, Manitoba Hydro's system demand peaked at 5,111.5 megawatts, said Peter Chura, a spokesperson for the Crown corporation.

That broke a previous peak of 4,927.8 megawatts, set on Dec. 12, 2024, when temperatures in Winnipeg dipped to –31 C.

Manitoba Hydro's maximum capacity is 6,120 megawatts, albeit only when Lake Winnipeg, when it uses as a reservoir, is full and all generating stations are operating at full capacity.

Lake Winnipeg currently sits at 712.5 feet above sea level, which is 2.5 feet below the top of its recommended operating range. As well, Chura said some of Hydro's capacity was not available on Jan. 20 due to maintenance and a required reserve.

Hydro exported 330 megawatts on Jan. 20 and purchased 60 megawatts from outside the province, Chura said.

Electricity demand in Manitoba is increasing due to population growth and the transition from fossil fuels to electricity. Hydro has warned it needs to double or triple its generating capacity in the coming years.

"Increasing electrical demand does highlight the need to continue make investments to sustain our system as well as plan to add new resources in the future," Chura said in a statement.

"Manitoba Hydro continues to meet the energy needs of Manitobans and all its contractual obligations to firm export customers."