Surrey and Delta underperformed most other B.C. cities in this year's annual Earth Hour challenge to reduce electricity consumption.
Surrey recorded a 0.9 per cent reduction in power use Saturday evening, down from 1.5 per cent last year, while Delta also dropped to 1.2 per cent from 2.1 per cent in 2011.
B.C. Hydro said the province as a whole cut power use 1.67 per cent, saving 121 megawatt hours of electricity – the equivalent of turning off 9 million 12.5-watt LED light bulbs.
"If people applied the same simple conservation measures for even one hour every day for the whole year, the combined savings would power close to 4,000 homes for an entire year," said Hydro's acting CEO Charles Reid.
"Next year, during Earth Hour when smart meters are fully deployed, people will be able to track their own results from the day before through a secure on-line portal to help them realize how little measures really do add up to energy savings.”
In Metro Vancouver, Bowen Island did the best in this year's Earth Hour challenge, with a 3.5 per cent reduction, followed by West Vancouver at 3.3 per cent.
The best results in B.C. came from Revelstoke, which cut power use 12.1 per cent., followed by Pemberton at 6.8 per cent.
The worst laggards in the region were North Vancouver City at 0.4 per cent and Langley City at 0.5 per cent.
BC Hydro aims to meet two thirds of new electricity demand through conservation and energy efficiency by 2020.
Earth Hour results by city:
Revelstoke 12.1%Pemberton 6.8%Ladysmith 5.8%Whistler 5.6%Sechelt 5.0%North Cowichan 4.8% Lumby 4.5% Duncan 4.1% Prince Rupert 4.1% Prince George 4.0% Comox 3.9% Courtney 3.9% Williams Lake 3.9% Coldstream 3.8% Kamloops 3.6% Powell River 3.6% Bowen Island 3.5% Lake Country 3.4% Vernon 3.4% Lantzville 3.4% West Vancovuer 3.3% North Saanich 3.3% Clearwater 3.2% Sidney 3.1% Parksville 3.0% 100 Mile House 2.8% Colwood 2.7% Langford 2.7% Metchosin 2.7% Nanaimo 2.6% Smithers 2.6% Telkwa 2.6% Highlands 2.6% Enderby 2.6% View Royal 2.5% Sicamous 2.5% Qualicum Beach 2.5% Hazelton 2.5% New Hazelton 2.5% Richmond 2.5% Burns Lake 2.5% Peachland 2.4% Pitt Meadows 2.4% Summerland 2.4% West Kelowna 2.4% Campbell River 2.4% Sayward 2.3% Salmon Arm 2.3% Squamish 2.2% Quesnel 2.2% Wells 2.2% Vancouver 2.1% Saanich 2.1% Burnaby 2.0% Esquimalt 2.0% Port Coquitlam 2.0% Coquitlam 1.8% Port Moody 1.8% White Rock 1.8% Anmore 1.8% Belcarra 1.8% Maple Ridge 1.8% Sooke 1.7% Oak Bay 1.6% Victoria 1.6% North Vancouver District 1.4% Invermere 1.2% Radium Hot Springs 1.2% Delta 1.2% Fernie 1.2% Surrey 0.9% Langley District 0.8% Langley City 0.5% North Vancouver city 0.4% Fort St. James 0.2% Houston 0.1%