As Albertan’s plunge into the first stretch of frigid temperatures this winter season, higher energy bills should also be expected.

Furnaces will be working overtime to keep homes heated, and with more people hunkering down inside, electricity use will also be up.

“When the days are getting colder and the nights are getting longer, it requires more energy for consumers to heat and to light their home,” said Corry Poole with ENMAX.

Every time the temperature dips by 10 degrees, we use eight per cent more electricity and 40 per cent more natural gas, according to ENMAX.

Aside from turning your thermostat up, here are few activities that may cause higher electricity usage during colder weather:

Last year, Calgary recorded its coldest February in 83 years, and that resulted in a huge surge in energy consumption.

ENMAX data shows it went up by more than 22,000 megawatt-hours compared to the same time the previous year.

To put that in perspective, that’s the equivalent of powering around 3,400 average-sized homes for a full year.

Peak consumption of 1,540 MW was recorded by ENMAX on Feb. 4, 2019, just shy of the winter record, which was set in 2013 at 1,653 MW.

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