Consumption 101
5 min
Using energy
more wisely
during cold snaps
During cold snaps, heating can account for up to 80% of a household’s electricity use. During peak periods, this high demand puts pressure on the grid. That’s why it’s essential to reduce consumption and avoid placing further strain on the power system. We all have a role to play.
Simple actions that make all the difference
Simple actions to better manage your energy use during cold snaps make a big difference, especially during winter peaks between 6 and 10 a.m. and 4 and 8 p.m.
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Heating
Turn down the thermostat a degree or two, especially in unoccupied rooms.
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Hot water
Use hot water outside peak hours whenever you can.
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Appliances
Wait until the peak has passed to use major appliances like the dryer and dishwasher.
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Electric vehicle
Charge your EV outside peak periods, like during the night, if you can.
Keep it simple: Install smart thermostats for $0
With smart thermostats now at $0, installation included*, Hilo automatically reduces your electricity use during peak demand events and helps you maximize your savings.
*Conditions apply.
Power demand in real time
Tuesday, November 4
04:00 p.m.
Electricity demand
in Quebec:
8,414
MW
Tuesday, November 4 at
2:30 p.m.
Energy generated from renewable sources
81
%
Hydro - 77.027%
Wind - 19.874%
Solar - 0.012%
Other renewables - 3.087%
Thermal - 0.000%
Peak periods
When it’s very cold and everyone is heating their home, electricity use increases significantly. That creates winter peaks. Find out why it’s important to reduce our energy use during these periods.
Answers to your questions
See for yourself: go to my Energy Performance Indicator to find your hourly, daily, monthly and annual electricity use data. You can also compare your electricity use (daily or monthly) for the past two years and see how it relates to the outdoor temperatures at the time. Since cold weather can affect your electricity use, we recommend checking this tool regularly.
Yes, during winter peaks, Québec companies play an active role in the collective effort. Through programs like the Demand Response Option, they adapt their energy use and receive credits on their bill. Every year, their efforts save enough electricity to power hundreds of thousands of homes. Everyone has a role to play, and companies are stepping up.
During a cold snap, Hydro‑Québec has various means to meet demand, including importing electricity from neighbouring systems. But this means incurring additional costs and the electricity we purchase may be from polluting energy sources. That’s why every little bit helps to ease the pressure and preserve our renewable energy.
To better understand the concepts of power (or capacity) and energy, imagine a restaurant.
The restaurant seats 50. If 200 people want to eat at the restaurant all at once, it won’t be able to serve everyone at the same time, even though there’s enough food.
Instead of renting more tables to meet the high—but temporary—demand (peak), the restaurant will ask some customers to dine earlier and others to arrive later. Everyone will be served, just not at the same time.
In this analogy to Hydro-Québec’s grid, the power (capacity) is the number of seats in the restaurant, and the energy is the amount of food.
Even though we never run out of energy, we may not have enough power (capacity) during peak periods. To meet this temporary demand, we sometimes have to import power at high prices.
Watch the video
about the difference between power and energy.
Read also
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Guide to saving during winter peaks
-
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Energy-efficient devices and equipment
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Smart thermostats make it easy to save in winter