The Alberta Emergency Management Agency has issued an emergency alert across Alberta due to concerns surrounding “high power demand” on the provincial grid.
According to AEMA, extreme cold has led to high demand on the province’s power grid this evening. As a result, residents are being asked to limit their electricity use immediately to essential needs only. Unnecessary lights, electrical appliances, space heaters, and major power appliances such as laundry machines and dryers should not be used during this time.
Additionally, residents are asked to delay charging electrical vehicles, plugging in block heaters, and cook with microwaves or other small appliances instead of the stove.
Lethbridge MLA Nathan Neudorf says in addition to our own power generation, the province’s grid receives electricity from neighbouring provinces, and extreme weather in British Columbia and Saskatchewan has impacted electricity sharing.
“Albertans have a history of pulling together in times of emergency,” he says. “If we all make small changes like those listed above, we can keep each other safe through another extremely cold evening.”
Additionally, residents are asked to unplug all electric appliances when not in use as they continue to drain energy even when they are turned off.
