BC Hydro香蕉视频直播檚 CEO says the Crown corporation is 香蕉视频直播渨ell within香蕉视频直播� its capability to provide the necessary power to cool residents as the province heats up.
BC Hydro CEO Chris O香蕉视频直播橰iley said he knows British Columbians are struggling with extreme heat, and there are often limited options available to them when it comes to cooling.
香蕉视频直播淎s our once-milder spring and summers become warmer, air conditioning is no longer being considered a luxury among British Columbians.香蕉视频直播�
He added that after the last two summers, British Columbians are 香蕉视频直播渓ooking to air conditioning to keep them cool, but cost is a barrier for many.香蕉视频直播�
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His comments came as the province announced $10 million for up to 8,000 new air conditioning units for B.C. vulnerable.
Health Minister Adrian Dix announced the funding Tuesday (June 27) in Vancouver, two years after the fatal heat dome that killed 619 people between June 25 and July 1, 2021. At the heat dome香蕉视频直播檚 peak, temperatures reached more than 40 C outside, while many experienced hotter temperatures indoors.
A 2022 report from the BC Coroners Service noted that 98 per cent of deaths were indoors, heat-related deaths were higher among people with specific chronic diseases, 67 per cent of those who died were aged 70 or older and most deaths occurred in homes without adequate cooling systems, such as air conditioning.
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The $10 million allows BC Hydro to expand its Energy Conservation Assistance program to include free, publicly funded portable air conditioners for people who are medically vulnerable and have low incomes. The announcement didn香蕉视频直播檛 give specific criteria for who could be eligible.
O香蕉视频直播橰iley noted that in May, during an unseasonable heatwave, BC Hydro broke a peak hourly demand record.
While that electricity demand is increasing in spring and summer months, he said the Crown corporation has 香蕉视频直播渓ots of room to accommodate these new uses of power in the summer periods.香蕉视频直播� The demand for power is also 香蕉视频直播渕uch higher香蕉视频直播� in the winter heating months 香蕉视频直播渂y quite a large margin.香蕉视频直播�
BC Hydro is also on the hunt for new, renewable power sources, anticipating that demand for electricity will increase by 15 per cent between now and 2030 because of population growth and consumers adopting new technologies like electric vehicles and heat pumps.
Asked if BC Hydro has taken this summer increase into account, O香蕉视频直播橰iley said it香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播渨ell within our capability香蕉视频直播� and are already included in plans to acquire more electricity.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e in the midst of an energy transition in the world, and certainly here in British Columbia, so given the demand for electrification to replace the use of fossil fuels, we香蕉视频直播檙e forecasting a significant growth in load in the province, in demand for electricity.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播� With files from Wolf Depner
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