Electric power statistics, November 2015
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Released: 2016-01-27
Canada used 44.4 million megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity in November, down 6.8% from the same month a year earlier as temperatures across most of the country rose above seasonal norms. With lower demand, electric power generation also decreased, falling 5.2% on a year-over-year basis to 49.0 million MWh.
Exports of electricity to the United States rose 5.4% to 5.2 million MWh in November, marking the 13th consecutive year-over-year increase in exports. In contrast, imports declined for the 11th time in 13 months, falling by nearly one-third to 0.6 million MWh.
Chart 1
Electricity generation and consumption
Lower demand for electricity was widespread, with eight provinces and two territories posting declines, led by Quebec and Alberta.
In Quebec, where electricity is the primary heating source, demand fell 8.9% to 16.1 million MWh as average temperatures rose above historical norms.
In Alberta, demand fell 13.4% to 5.0 million MWh in November, the 15th consecutive year-over-year decline. Much of the drop in demand in November was seen in lower generation levels, which totalled 5.1 million MWh, led by a decline in steam conventional.
In Ontario, demand fell 4.8% to 10.3 million MWh in November, the ninth year-over-year decline of 2015. The result was a 6.1% drop in generation levels to 12.0 million MWh, led by nuclear and hydro generating stations. Despite the decline in generation, the province increased exports to the United States by 15.0% to 1.8 million MWh.
Note to readers
The purpose of this release is to produce a consistent monthly indicator of the supply of electricity in Canada, a key input in the calculation of monthly gross domestic product.
Total net electricity generation for Canada, the provinces and the territories combines all of the electricity generated from all sources, including hydro, steam, nuclear, internal combustion, wind, solar and tidal.
Total available electricity is the total electricity generation, minus deliveries, plus receipts of electricity.
All data on imports and exports are provided directly by the National Energy Board.
Data for January to October 2015 have been revised.
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