Canada generated 60.4 million MWh of electricity in December, up 8.1% from a year ago, driven by 10.9% increase in hydro power; Canada electricity consumption rose 7.6% to 56.6 million MWh, exports to US rose 13.2% to 4.8 million MWh: Statistics Canada
Cindy Allen
OTTAWA
,
March 5, 2014
(press release)
–
Canada generated 60.4 million megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity in December, up 8.1% from the same month in 2012. This was the third consecutive monthly gain. A 10.9% rise in hydro power generation led the increase in overall power generation. While production rose, so did consumption. Canada electricity consumption was up 7.6% to 56.6 million MWh in December from the same month in 2012. As well, exports to the United States rose 13.2% to 4.8 million MWh.
Quebec was the largest contributor to Canada's increase in power generation in December with 21.7 million MWh of electricity produced, up 13.7% from December 2012. Higher than normal water levels were the main reason for the overall increase in hydro production. With hydro generation on the rise in December, Quebec (+15.9%) posted the largest increase of hydro power generation in Canada compared with the same month in 2012.
Ontario also contributed to the national gain, up 3.0% to 13.3 million MWh of electricity in December from the same month a year earlier. Growth in both nuclear and hydro power generation pushed totals higher, offsetting sizeable losses in conventional steam generation because of the closing of gas fired power plants. Nuclear power plants generated 8.4 million MWh of electricity, 7.2% more than in December 2012, while hydro production increased 9.0% to 3.3 million MWh.
Driven by gains in nuclear and hydro generation, New Brunswick produced 1.4 million MWh of electricity in December, up 30.7% from the same month in 2012. Nuclear generation more than doubled its output to 0.5 million MWh in December compared with the same month in 2012. Hydro generation was also up in December, rising 39.1% to 0.2 million MWh.
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