Across N.L., temperatures have dropped and electricity demands have risen
Demand peaked Wednesday morning but N.L. Hydro says it's prepared
A brutal cold snap across Newfoundland and Labrador is putting pressure on the province's electrical grid — but N.L. Hydro says the system is working as planned.
The grid peaked at 1,730 megawatts Wednesday morning for the island, but Jill Pitcher, the Crown utility's senior communications officer, said there's lots of backup power.
"We have plenty of reserve power — more than 500 MW," Pitcher told CBC News in a statement.
"We don't anticipate any alerts at this time. We continue to monitor the forecast and our system."
As of 11 a.m., temperatures around the province were far below freezing, with St. John's hovering around –15 C and a wind chill of –28. Central Newfoundland is experiencing similar temperatures, while Newfoundland's west coast is slightly warmer with Corner Brook at –13 C with a wind chill of –23.
The weather is much, much colder farther north.
St. Anthony hit –21 C with a wind chill of –35 and most of Labrador West and northern Labrador are colder.
Makkovic has recorded –25 C with a wind chill of –39, Happy Valley-Goose Bay is the same and western Labrador, notably Wabush, has dropped to –25 C with a –36 wind chill.
"The system has been performing well this winter. Our previous seasonal peak was several weekends ago during a multi-day cold snap where we peaked at 1,675 MW on the island interconnected system with 500 MW of reserve available and while continuing to supply Nova Scotia during the peak," said Pitcher.
"For comparison, our province experienced a polar vortex in February of last year. We hit a peak of 1,780 MW at that time but were also able to maintain a comparable level of reserves."
For some the cold temperatures are a reason to hibernate indoors but others enjoy the cold — and some, like Hafeeza Pathan, who lives in Labrador West after moving from Mumbai, even love it.
"It's been quite a journey, from plus 35 to minus 35. I never expected myself to love the cold so much but here I am, four and a half years in and still going strong," she said.
"I only get depressed when the summer starts coming. I'm different and I know a lot of people listening to me would be like, 'Oh, she's crazy.'"
Pathan said she finds joy in the snow and the cold.
"If you can't do anything about it, just enjoy it, just embrace it," she said.
Getting outdoors
The cold didn't keep some people in St. John's from venturing outdoors.
Alexis Templeton kept to her morning routine of skating around the Bannerman Park Loop.
"Depending on the wind, when you kind of come around to turn and it hits you in the face, that can be a little intimidating," Templeton told CBC News. "But I did bring my neck warmer to pull up if I needed it. But so far, so good."
Templeton wasn't the sole skater at the Loop on Wednesday morning. There are a number of people who, like her, like to take to the ice when it's "fresh," she said.
"I try and come out in the mornings around 10 when it first opens. I just live across the street," she said, "So I can actually look out and see the Zamboni go and then see the skaters get on the ice. So I gotta run out and join them."
She said she did take a few precautions, including putting on a big coat, before heading out to go skating.
"I didn't actually think to put my toe warmers in, though," she said with a laugh, "which I often would … when it's minus 15."
Keith Vokey, who was out skiing in Pippy Park, said the temperature didn't deter him from going outdoors but he did prepare for it. That included wearing battery-powered gloves and dressing in layers.
"That's the key, is keeping toes and fingers warm, yeah, on really cold days," he said.
He'd already been out 25 minutes and estimated he'd stay out for another 25 minutes.
The park, just 15 minutes from his home, is a great resource for people, he said.
"It's something that I really treasure. I look forward to, you know, as we get on in the fall and get the first snow, to get out here," said Vokey.
He encouraged people to get outdoors in the winter as long as they're dressed for it.
"When you're dressed, then you can get out and move a little bit and you can feel a little bit of the sun and not feel so cold."
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With files from Sandi Noseworthy, Patrick Butler, Jeremy Eaton and CBC Newfoundland Morning