Scorching summer has Ontario electricity usage hit highs not seen since 2013
Global News
The scorching summer of 2025 has led to levels of electricity usage not seen in more than a decade in Ontario, the company managing the province's power grid says.
The scorching summer of 2025 has led to levels of electricity usage not seen in more than a decade in Ontario.
The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), which manages Ontario’s power system, told Global News that this summer has been one for the record books.
“During the heat wave in late June this year, peak demand reached 24,862 Megawatts (MW), the highest peak since 2013,” Michael Dodsworth, senior advisor of communications with the IESO, said in an Aug. 27 statement.
“Earlier this month, temperatures again surpassed 30 C for several days, with peak electricity demand topping 24,789 MW. The highest electricity demand from last year was surpassed eight times this summer.”
During an average summer in Toronto, surpassing 30 C happens about 17 times, Global News meteorologist Anthony Farnell said.
This summer, Toronto topped 30 C 24 times; that only happened 10 times last year, and half of those days were in June, he said.
Furthermore, Farnell said Toronto topped 32 C 14 times this summer, doubling the annual average. During a heat wave in June, temperatures hit a nine-year high of 36 C and the humidex hit an all-time June high of 46, he added.
“Every extra degree added to the high temperature puts an exponentially higher strain on the electrical grid,” Farnell said.
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