On Saturday night the Alberta Electricity Systems Operatory (AESO) issued an emergency alert to Albertans asking them to immediately reduce their power consumption in an attempt to avoid rotating power outages through the evening.
The province has asked Albertans to reduce their power this evening using the following measures:
- 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.
