Alberta issues another grid alert as extreme cold continues
Posted December 21, 2022 11:04 am.
A second grid alert in as many days was issued in Alberta Wednesday due to the extreme cold.
High electricity demand and an unplanned outage prompted Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) to issue the alert shortly before 8:30 a.m.
AESO says alerts are issued when the power system is under stress and the operator is preparing to use emergency reserves to meet demand and maintain system reliability.
Continued extreme cold weather, high electricity demand, and an unplanned outage has prompted the AESO to declare a Grid Alert at 8:25 a.m. Find information on Grid Alerts here Grid Alerts & Electricity Conservation » AESO
— AESO (@theAESO) December 21, 2022
Consumers are being asked to reduce their electricity use during alerts to prevent the need for more serious measures to balance the system, including rotating power outages.
AESO also issued a grid alert Tuesday evening.
Record low temperatures
Several regions in the province have hit record low temperatures this week.
There are 54 cities and towns with broken records for low temperatures, the coldest of which is Hendrickson Creek, with a low of minus-48 Celsius and around minus-50 C with windchill.
Temperatures Wednesday in Calgary were minus-32 C with windchill.
Banff, Bow Valley, Edmonton, Fairview, High Prairie, Manning, Waterton, and Willow Creek all have broken records and temperatures between minus-35 C and minus-44 C.
—With files from Alejandro Melgar and The Canadian Press
