Hot summer pushes Saskatchewan power use to new record

Seniors spend time near a fan a in this Thursday, June 9, 2011 file photo. (Steve Ruark/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)

REGINA -- SaskPower says soaring temperatures on Monday pushed power use in Saskatchewan to a summer record.

The company says the Saskatchewan power grid registered a peak demand of 3,360 megawatts, which beat the previous summer record set July 10, 2015, by 29 megawatts.

SaskPower says the increase represents power use in about 29,000 homes.

Temperatures in Regina hit 35 C and Saskatoon reached 30 C on Monday.

SaskPower's vice-president of transmission, Kory Hayko, says more records are being set as power demand continues to rise in the province.

The winter peak record is still the highest at 3,747 megawatts, but Hayko said the gap between summer and winter records is closing.