the examiner serving barrie and simcoe county Friday Sept 30 1977 1A Saving energy isnt all grim talk Saving energy isnt all grim talk about insulation car tuneups and turning out lights as this couple has discovered Taking shower uses less energy than taking bath and if two take the same shower thats even less energy used getting water hot inside this Energy Conserva tion supplement compiled by Sue Burke of The Examiner are many ways of saving energy and money at home and at Unlimited energy The myth ended lastL December By SUE BURKE Editor Ener Conservation issue The myth of unlimit energy ended abru tly last year when heavy demand Dec near 520 pm to an hour of voltage reductions by Ontario Hydro Power was cut off for 26 companies in the Georgian Bay region aying lower rates for interruptible service Resi cuts in Tecumseh lost power during the brownout Ted Johnston public relations for Hydros Georgian Bay region said the cuts came after an overload of services from Giristmas lights cold weather and heavy use of electrical ap iiances at could happen again this year with more regularity warns Barries Public Utilities Commission PUC The PUC has told local industries the city may have power blackouts this winter although Johnston says Hydro is op timistic the blackouts will not occur The warnings came after letter from Hydro to municipal utilities asking for hel in improvi Hydros loadshedding procedures the fina step in deal with possible power shortages Johnston says Hydro contacted utilities because it wants existing emergency plans improved Not because we ex pect it to happen next winter Residential customers could also be affected by blackouts says Ernie Alexander of the PUC The cutbacks would come without notice and would pro bany involve rotating l5minute cuts with five per cent of power users out at one time LESS DRASTIC OPTIONS However before blackouts Hydro would try number of less drastic options says Johnston cutoff of energy exports purchase of power from interconnected utilities voltage reductions of up to five per cent cutting off certain customers yi lower rates in return for liability to such cuto fs an use of combustion turbine generating units There could come time when if you dont cut it off you kill the whole system he says Johnston says Hydro came very very close last winter to exceeding its generating ca City ydro appealed to all customers during the crisis to avoid using electricity in any excess between and pm the peak period of demand in day Barrie area residents are also facing higher energy costs Increasing dependence on fossil fuels means ris costs says Hydro officials me work Examiner Photo by Marina Quattrocchi While hydraulic generation was still the single largest source of energy in 1976 providing 361 per cent of total electrical ener there is increasing use of nuclear and fossilfuel plants as the percentage of hydroelectric generating sources go down WILL HAVE TROUBLE in the August edition of Electrical Business officials predicted HJdro will have trouble meeting demand if residents an businesses dont cut down energy use The experience of December has given the customer glimpse what can be expected in the late 19703 if conser vation programs do not work the article says Power cuts could become more frequent toward the 1980s as Hydro struggles to maintain reserves in the face of in creasing demand You can work toward reduced energy consumption and costs by using the promotion in this supplement which has material about cutting dowu fuel bills in homes and small businesses insulating weatherstripping and caulking and maintaining your car it also gives homemakers an insight into energysaving Eactices in the kitchen and with appliances an meowners tips on furnace maintenance