**Update: the Alberta Electric System Operator ended the power alert as of just before 8:40 p.m.**
Alberta Electric System Operator is bracing for rotating power outages due to surging electricity consumption due to the extreme cold gripping the province.
“Extreme cold resulting in high power demand has placed the Alberta grid at a high risk of rotating power outages this evening. Albertans are asked to immediately limit their electricity use to essential needs only. Turn off unnecessary lights and electrical appliances. Minimize the use of space heaters. Delay use of major power appliances. Delay charging electrical vehicles and plugging in block heaters. Cook with microwave instead of stove.” the warning sent from Alberta Emergency Management reads.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith issued a statement on behalf of Minister of Affordability and Utilities Nathan Neudorf via X, formerly Twitter.
Minister of Affordability and Utilities Nathan Neudorf issued the following statement in response to an electrical grid alert from the Alberta Electrical Systems Operator:
— Danielle Smith (@ABDanielleSmith) January 14, 2024
We are calling on all Albertans to reduce their electric demand immediately to essentials only. Extreme… pic.twitter.com/kwxNJdrsZD
Blake Shaffer, a professor in the economics department of the University of Calgary, shared a chart on X that appears to show Albertans responding to the call for action in real time in the minutes after the alert was sent.
Here's a zoomed in version. Load fell about 150MW in the minutes after the alert went out, has continued to fall rapidly since. pic.twitter.com/G7OXJC5V6t
— Blake Shaffer 📊🇺🇦 (@bcshaffer) January 14, 2024
For more information, visit the Alberta Electric System Operator website.
Below: image of an electricity transmission tower from Flickr user Paul Sableman.
