TORONTO, Aug. 18 /CNW/ - Conservation efforts by Ontario electricity
consumers have been making an impact on overall demand today.
    Ontario Premier Ernie Eves has asked large manufacturers to assist with
conservation efforts by operating at 50% of their normal power usage.
Commercial and retail businesses are also being asked to conserve energy by
reducing their consumption to 50% of normal usage.
    These conservation efforts are required to ensure there is enough power
to meet demand for the week and to provide for essential services such as
hospitals, water treatment plants and the oil and gas industries.

    Ontario demand on Monday, August 18 at the top of each hour was as
follows:
    <<
    -----------------------------
    Time (EST)    Ontario
                  Demand (MW)
    -----------------------------
    2:00 a.m.    12,640
    -----------------------------
    3:00 a.m.    12,530
    -----------------------------
    4:00 a.m.    12,370
    -----------------------------
    5:00 a.m.    12,320
    -----------------------------
    6:00 a.m.    12,830
    -----------------------------
    7:00 a.m.    13,700
    -----------------------------
    8:00 a.m.    15,270
    -----------------------------
    9:00 a.m.    15,990
    -----------------------------
    10:00 a.m.   16,770
    -----------------------------
    11:00 a.m.   17,250
    -----------------------------
    12:00 p.m.   17,600
    -----------------------------
    1:00 p.m.    17,640
    -----------------------------
    2:00 p.m.    17,670
    -----------------------------
    3:00 p.m.    17,560
    -----------------------------
    4:00 p.m.    18,060
    -----------------------------
    5:00 p.m.    18,100
    -----------------------------
    6:00 p.m.    18,140
    -----------------------------

    For comparison, Ontario demand on Monday, August 11. (Note these figures
are hourly averages)

    -----------------------------
    For the       Ontario
    hour ending   Demand (MW)
    -----------------------------
    2:00 a.m.    14,865
    -----------------------------
    3:00 a.m.    14,550
    -----------------------------
    3:00 a.m.    14,341
    -----------------------------
    4:00 a.m.    14,393
    -----------------------------
    5:00 a.m.    14,733
    -----------------------------
    6:00 a.m.    15,694
    -----------------------------
    7:00 a.m.    17,282
    -----------------------------
    8:00 a.m.    18,746
    -----------------------------
    9:00 a.m.    19,742
    -----------------------------
    10:00 a.m.   20,445
    -----------------------------
    11:00 a.m.   21,130
    -----------------------------
    12:00 p.m.   21,493
    -----------------------------
    1:00 p.m.    21,633
    -----------------------------
    2:00 p.m.    21,705
    -----------------------------
    3:00 p.m.    21,670
    -----------------------------
    4:00 p.m.    21,773
    -----------------------------
    5:00 p.m.    21,724
    -----------------------------
    6:00 p.m.    21,040
    -----------------------------

    The IMO is providing hourly updates on Current Demand on its Web site:
www.theIMO.com.