January 28, 2004

New Record Set for Natural Gas Consumption

This week's extreme temperatures have set a new record for natural gas consumed within Saskatchewan. TransGas, the pipeline transmission subsidiary of SaskEnergy, has set a record over the past 24 hours, delivering 1.12 PetaJoules of natural gas to its customers. This is an 8 per cent increase over the previous record set earlier this winter on January 4, 2004.

A PetaJoule is equal to a million GigaJoules or units of natural gas. The average home in Saskatchewan consumes about 130 GigaJoules of natural gas annually.

"We have one of the best natural gas systems you'll find anywhere in North America - a system designed to withstand the unique challenges brought on by Saskatchewan's coldest winters, "said Daryl Posehn, Vice President, TransGas. "Although our pipeline transmission and storage system is challenged during weather such as this, we have designed it so TransGas can respond to even higher peak demands if necessary.

"More important to us than setting records, though, is ensuring our system is safe and reliable. SaskEnergy also wants to share information that will help our customers manage their winter bills, as we know people are interested in saving both energy and money," Posehn added.

A few energy saving tips you can use to keep the warm air in, and the cold air out:

• You can lower your thermostat by 4 - 5 degrees Celsius (7 - 9 degrees Fahrenheit) while you're sleeping at night and when no one is at home.

• Consider buying a programmable thermostat.

• On sunny days, open south facing drapes and let the sun in, a natural source of heat. If you have large windows that don't receive direct sun, keep the drapes closed. Close your drapes and blinds during the night.

• To help prevent heat loss around windows use plastic window covers and make sure return air grills and heating vents are clear of furniture, rugs and drapes, as they will interfere with the flow of heat through your home.

For more energy savings tips, please visit our Tips section.

For more information, contact:

Dave Burdeniuk
Manager, Communications
SaskEnergy/TransGas
Phone: (306) 777-9842 or (306) 535-6569
E-mail: dburdeniuk@saskenergy.com