Last year’s weather in Alberta was crazy, from extreme record-breaking heat and drought to unprecedented wildfires. We had intense smoke blanketing the province, a few tornadoes and even flooding.
This hit some Albertans hard. Edson was evacuated three times, twice for wildfires and then a third time for floods.
The weather seemed positively crazy.
2024 has started with a bang, promising to be another insane year for weather.
This past week, Alberta plunged into a deep freeze with four days of bone-cracking cold that shattered records across the province.
The record lows created a massive demand for electricity. We set our all-time provincial record for power demand on January 11, reaching 12,384 megawatts, beating the previous provincial record set in December 2022.
Record-Breaking Temperatures
Dozen of areas across Alberta reported record-low temperatures on January 12, eclipsing long-standing records:
- Edmonton International Airport recorded -45.9°C, surpassing the previous record of -39.4°C set in 1969.
- Banff reached -39.8°C, beating the -39.4°C record from 1916.
- Bow Valley Provincial Park saw temperatures plummet to -45.3°C, exceeding the -38.9°C record from 1950.
- Camrose dropped to -42.5°C, surpassing the -41.0°C set in 1998.
- Crowsnest and Drumheller areas also broke their previous records, with -39.9°C and -40.5°C, respectively.
- Jasper, Nordegg, Rocky Mountain House, and Waterton Park areas all recorded new lows, at -41.6, -45.8 and -43.1°C, respectively, surpassing records that have stood for decades.
Thomas Anderson from Environment Canada attributed these extremes to an Arctic ridge of high pressure that descended from the Northwest Territories.
Strain on the Electrical Grid
The extreme temperatures led to a surge in electricity demand, putting immense pressure on Alberta’s energy grid.
The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) issued an emergency alert on the evening of January 13, warning of a high risk for rotating power outages.
The AESO and the Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) instructed people to conserve electricity. This included turning off unnecessary lights and appliances, delaying the use of high-energy devices, and reducing the use of electric heaters.
Even Premier Danielle Smith got into action, heading to social media and asking for Albertans to conserve electricity.
Albertans Respond
Immediately after the alert was issued, Albertans turned off electrical appliances, and electrical demand plunged, preventing the need for a rolling blackout.
Our neighbours in Saskatchewan, who are also struggling with extreme cold, responded by sharing 153 MW of electricity to assist Alberta during the shortage.
One megawatt powers 400 to 1000 homes for a year.
But ‘Berta’s energy grid had as little as 10 megawatts in reserve power at one point on Saturday night.
But thanks to people’s quick response, an hour after the emergency alert was sent out, the reserve jumped back up to 404 megawatts.
The record-breaking cold snap highlights the need for efficient energy management and a resilient electrical grid system in the face of unprecedented demand.
It has also demonstrated the importance of preparedness and the ability of communities and government agencies to work together effectively.
The proactive measures taken by AESO and AEMA, along with the support of residents and neighbouring provinces, played a crucial role in avoiding a serious crisis.
However, the close call has many people questioning the future stability of the grid. We need to prepare for a future where heat and cold spikes happen more frequently, we use more power as we transition to EVs, and we add more and more population to Alberta.
How will Alberta respond to the ever-increasing need for clean electrical energy?
Will the province continue to ban new renewable projects in favour of natural gas?
Does Danielle Smith have a plan, beyond her wishful thinking, that natural gas and carbon capture can create the clean energy Alberta needs in the future?
Many critics blame the deregulation of electrical energy not only for Alberta having the highest electricity rates of any province but also for partly causing the grid crisis in the first place.
It should be an interesting year, not only to see what the weather brings but also to see whether we can survive the storm of partisan politics headed our way.
