The alert has ended.
On Tuesday evening, at 6:14 p.m., the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) issued a Grid Alert, which stated that emergency reserves are now being used to maintain system reliability.
Grid alerts are issued when the power system is under stress and the 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."
According to the AESO, alerts can be caused by different factors including extremely cold or hot weather, the time of day and wind conditions, which impact the availability of solar and wind-generated energy, as well as unplanned generation facility outages.
"During a Grid Alert, the AESO takes a variety of actions to maintain reliability, including using emergency reserves, reducing or suspending exports or energy sales, cancelling transmission maintenance, and implementing voluntary curtailment programs (participants are asked to reduce their energy use to predetermined levels), and requesting emergency imports. As the last option to maintain reliability, the AESO can initiate temporary rotating power outages."
The Alberta Electric System Operator manages and operates the provincial power grid.
Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@discoverairdrie.com