Over 1,200 residents in Kamloops’ Upper Sahali neighborhood found themselves without power overnight during one of the hottest evenings of the year, as BC Hydro continues to battle record electricity demand across the province.

The outage began around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday evening, affecting customers south of Gleneagles Drive. With temperatures reaching a scorching 38°C earlier in the day, many residents were left struggling to stay cool until power was restored around 4:00 a.m. Wednesday morning.

BC Hydro Community Relations Spokesperson Susan Edgell offered an apology to customers impacted by the disruption. “We apologize sincerely to all the customers that had to endure that outage,” said Edgell in an interview. “It makes it very uncomfortable for our customers. We sure don’t like to see that, especially not on the hottest days of the year.”

According to Edgell, the outage was triggered by an equipment failure, likely due to aging infrastructure unable to cope with the heat-related surge in demand. “Some of our infrastructure is not in as good of shape as other parts, and that’s what happened here,” she explained. “People are coming home, the power use is jumping as high as it can, and we saw some of our equipment fail.”

Initially, around 600 customers lost power, but as crews began restoration efforts, the number of affected households temporarily doubled. “To re-energize the line, we had to take more people offline to make it safe for our crews,” said Edgell. “We started with 600 customers, and it went up to about 1,200 while we repaired the infrastructure.”

This marks the second significant heat-related outage in Kamloops this summer. BC Hydro has warned that extreme temperatures continue to place strain on parts of its system, particularly where older equipment is still in service.

It follows power outage that occurred in Jun in the North Shore that also was a result of equipment failure.

Meanwhile, across B.C., electricity demand is spiking as residents reach for air conditioners and fans. On August 12, BC Hydro recorded its highest-ever summer hourly electricity demand at 8,600 megawatts — breaking the previous record of 8,500 MW set during the 2021 heat dome. “That gives you an idea of how much power we’re using right now,” Edgell noted. “While we are not a summer-peaking utility — we use more power in the winter — these hot days are pushing our system hard.”

Still, BC Hydro says it is prepared for the elevated usage. Spokesperson Susie Rieder said earlier this week that the utility’s hydroelectric system is capable of handling demand spikes, though the public is encouraged to take simple steps to stay safe and reduce strain on the grid.

Among the suggestions:

• Close drapes and blinds to block out up to 65% of incoming heat.

• Shut windows and doors if the outdoor temperature is higher than indoors.

• Run fans instead of AC — a fan costs just $7 to operate nine hours a day over the summer.

• Choose ENERGY STAR-rated air conditioners, especially window units, which are up to twice as energy efficient as portable models.

As Kamloops residents deal with more summer heat, Edgell emphasized BC Hydro’s commitment to addressing aging infrastructure and preventing future outages. “We’re doing all that we can to avoid heat-related outages,” she said. “There’s no good time for a power outage — we know that. We’re working every day to make sure they don’t happen again.”

For more tips on energy conservation and staying cool during the heatwave, visit bchydro.com/powersmart.