Another grid alert was issued by Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) at 8:00 a.m. this morning (Jan 15). This alert has since been lifted as of 9:05 a.m.

A Grid Alert is issued when the power system is under stress and AESO preparing to use emergency reserves to meet demand and maintain system reliability. 

Consumers are asked to reduce their electricity use during Grid Alerts to help mitigate the possibility of undertaking more serious emergency measures to balance the system, including rotating power outages.

Grid Alerts can be triggered by different factors that affect power generation and electricity demand, such as:

  • Extremely cold or hot weather, which drives increased use of heating or air conditioning systems
  • Time of day and wind conditions, which impact the availability of solar and wind-generated energy
  • Unplanned generation facility outages
  • Other factors beyond transmission and generation facility owners’ control, such as lightning, downed power lines, etc.

AESO requests that Albertans try and conserve energy during the peak demand hours between 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Tips to conserve electricity include:

  • Turn off unnecessary lights and electrical appliances;
  • Minimize the use of space heaters;
  • Delay the use of major power-consuming appliances such as washers, dryers and dishwashers;
  • Delay charging electric vehicles and/or plugging in block heaters;
  • Cook with your microwave, crockpot, or toaster oven instead of an electric stove or oven;
  • Limit the use of kitchen or bathroom ventilation fans;
  • Work on a laptop instead of a desktop computer (laptops are more energy-efficient than desktop units);
  • Unplug electric appliances when not in use, as they continue to drain energy even if they’re off (or use a power bar to cut power to multiple appliances with a single button);
  • Close your curtains/shades/blinds to cover drafty windows.

More information on Grid Alerts and tips for electricity conservation can be found at aeso.ca. 

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