BC Hydro says the power load in BC has increased 15 per cent during the holiday season since 2012 because of bigger displays. File photo.
BC Hydro says holiday light displays are getting bigger, which is putting more demand on the province’s power load and costing customers more money.
The report titled “Grinch to Griswold: Trend toward bigger holiday displays increasing electricity bills” says more electronic decorations and lights have added 15 per cent more load on B.C.’s power grid since 2012 and is also adding costs.
The survey found 57 per cent of British Columbians put up outdoor lights during the holidays.
The range of enthusiasm is from a holiday minimalist, with an average of three strands displayed, to enthusiasts with an eight strand average, and the holiday fanatic, with at least 10 strands and often more to light up an entire block.
The holiday fanatics are also known as “The Griswold”, in reference to the 1989 movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”.
The report found the outdoor lighting load dropped about 40 per cent by 2011 with more people using LED lights, but BC Hydro says it has increased because of more elaborate loads since.
The survey found a third of British Columbians have a neighbour with a mega display, who install inflatable decorations that typically run around the clock, use lots of lights, with four per cent saying they install more than 750 bulbs.
Some can climb to more than 100,000 lights for the biggest displays.
BC Hydro says 15 per cent admit to blowing a breaker because of an overload from their lights and decorations.
According to the report, one in three B.C. residents who put up outdoor displays still use incandescent holiday lights, which BC Hydro says is increasing costs and consumption.
BC Hydro says replacing eight strands of incandescent lights with LEDs could save you about $40 over the holiday season, with 10-times longer lifespan.
The Crown says Clark Griswold’s holiday display in the Christmas Vacation movie would have cost him about $4,700 during the holiday season using incandescent lights, compared to $50 with LEDs.
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