Electricity imports from U.S. topped exports in February amid drought: StatCan

For the primary time in eight years, Canada imported extra electrical energy from the U.S. than it exported amid extended dry circumstances which have lowered hydroelectric energy era.

Statistics Canada says electrical energy era in Canada totalled 53.6 million megawatt-hours (MWh) in February, down 4.9 per cent from the identical month final 12 months, as common every day era was 8.2 per cent decrease year-over-year.

Canada imported 2.7 million MWh of electrical energy from the U.S. that month, barely greater than the two.6 million MWh it exported, marking the primary time electrical energy imports have exceeded exports since StatCan modified the best way it collects such knowledge in 2016.

Imports had been 124.1 per cent greater than common for February 2024, whereas exports had been 44.8 per cent under common ranges for the month.

StatCan says drought all through a lot of Canada led to a 12.5 per cent year-over-year drop in hydroelectric era, which drove the general decline in electrical energy manufacturing.

Quebec contributed most to the year-over-year lower in electrical energy exports, with 61.6 per cent lower than the identical month in 2023. Ontario’s exports had been down 29.5 per cent whereas New Brunswick’s declined 49.9 per cent, as imports to B.C. rose 46.6 per cent.

The Canadian Energy Regulator says every Canadian used a median of 15 MWh in 2019, led by Quebecers at 24 MWh.

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed April 29, 2024.