Natural gas supply may need to be cut in half this winter: Fortis BC

Prince George residents will be asked to conserve energy this winter following the Enbridge pipeline burst earlier this month according to Fortis BC.

Natural gas supply may need to be cut by as much as 50 percent during the colder months.

However, levels could rise based on the latest update they were given by Enbridge.

“They’re saying this 80% percent level may last until the end of the winter gas season and that’s from November 1st to the end of March, we’re hoping that’s not the case but that’s the best information we have from them right now,” said Doug Stout, Vice-President of External Relations.

“So that puts us in a tight sport depending on the weather for supply to customers and we’re continuing to ask customers to conserve as much as possible. We are working with our industrial customers who have fuel switching to burn other fuels and turn those off as the weather gets cooler here.”

The winter season according to Fortis BC lasts about five months – places like Prince George and the North face a much higher degree of colder weather during this time, which might make it difficult for homeowners to agree.

If that’s the case, Stout encourages you to ease up on certain appliances.

“Turn down your thermostat as much as you can so if you can go to 18 degrees that would be great, a cold day in Prince George is a lot different than a cold day in Vancouver so there might be a little less flexibility perhaps.”

“Reducing hot water usage so people have use of their hot water tank, shorter showers, do your laundry in cold water – all of those kinds of things help.”