Saskatoon

Province sets new natural gas usage record, SaskEnergy says

SaskEnergy set a new natural gas usage record Wednesday, with frigid temperatures expected to last through the weekend.

Most of the extreme cold warnings have been lifted, but frigid temperatures are expected through the weekend

Lac La Ronge looks beautiful in the cold weather. (Submitted by Debbie Mihalicz)

Cold weather has filled in every corner of Saskatchewan, and patrons at restaurants might be savouring their meal just a little longer to stay out of the cold.

At Baba's drive-up window in Saskatoon, you don't even have to get out of your car to get some comfort food.

"People are like, well, I don't want to go out there, but what's worth it? Baba's perogies. That brings us warmth and makes us feel better," said general manager Rob Engle.

Rob Engle, manager of of Saskatoon staple Baba's Homestyle Perogies, says the cold doesn't scare away his clientele. (Bridget Yard/CBC)

Setting a new record

Once they get home, though, it's a good bet those customers are cranking the thermostat. SaskEnergy set a new natural gas usage record Wednesday.

The previous record was set in December 2018 and tied in February 2019. SaskEnergy customers used 1.50 petajoules over a 24-hour period.

Wednesday, usage shot up to 1.56 petajoules.

A petajoule is one million gigajoules of natural gas. SaskEnergy says the average home in Saskatchewan consumes approximately 100 gigajoules of natural gas every year.

Mercury rising?

Regina and Saskatoon will be markedly warmer this weekend. But before that happens, CBC Saskatchewan asked people to send in cold weather photos from across the province.

Friday's expected high in Regina is –22 C, and –23 C in Saskatoon. The cold temperatures are expected to continue through the weekend, before some relative relief — negative single digits — on Monday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bridget Yard is the producer of CBC's Up North. She previously worked for CBC in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan as a video journalist and later transitioned to feature storytelling and radio documentaries.