CALGARY – Alberta’s electric system operator is asking people to conserve power where possible, as the province remains trapped in a heat dome.
The heatwave has more people turning on their air conditioning and running fans to try to stay cool, but it’s causing power problems.
AESO declared a level one emergency alert on Tuesday afternoon and asked people to reduce their power usage between the peak hours of 4 and 7 p.m.
READ MORE: Energy Emergency Alert ended as energy supplies meet demand
The operator ended the alert a few hours later, after dipping into reserves to keep up with demand.
It’s now asking Albertans to try to reduce usage where possible to avoid another emergency alert Wednesday.
A new summer peak of 11,721 MW was recorded on June 29, 2021. We are forecasting a similar load on the grid today as yesterday.
Please conserve electricity today where and when you can! #ABElectricity
More tips on how to conserve here: https://t.co/lzRxJaJsfa pic.twitter.com/0hLrOnCfKT
— AESO (@theAESO) June 30, 2021
AESO is asking people to close window coverings and lower thermostats to pre-cool homes and avoid using large appliances.
And if you can avoid charging things like electric vehicles during peak hours, AESO recommends you do so.
RELATED:
- Extreme heat causing more troubles with vehicles: AMA
- Watch for warning signs of heatstroke, warns EMS
On Tuesday, AESO says the province broke a previous record for energy consumption in the summer–and Alberta is on track to break that record again on Wednesday.
