Be prepared in case of power outage in extreme cold, say Yukon officials

As Yukon continues to deal with a prolonged spell of extreme cold, emergency officials are advising people to be prepared in case of a power outage.

Temperatures in Whitehorse have been hovering around -40 C and have dropped below -50 C in some communities. The mercury is expected to rise into the -20s in Whitehorse over the weekend.

On Tuesday, the territory's energy minister issued a statement saying the territory's power grid was under "significant strain," and suggested the potential for rolling blackouts in Whitehorse if the system were to buckle under that strain.

Minister Ted Laking said that the territory reached an all-time record peak demand of 123 megawatts on Monday. He said the territory’s grid can produce about 140 megawatts, "in ideal conditions."

Also on Monday, residents in Haines Junction saw their power go out for several hours due to an exhaust issue at the local generating station. Laking said that put additional strain on the territory's grid.

Shane Skarnulis, manager of response operations with the territory’s Emergency Measures Organization, said on Tuesday there is "a lot of concern that we may be facing a power outage in the next couple of days.”

Skarnulis said it's important for Yukoners to have a 72-hour emergency kit ready, tailored to winter weather with a light source, a communications device, warm clothing, baby food, pet supplies, a first aid kit, hygiene items and medications.

He also urged people to have a plan, which can look different for different households. Some might just be firing up the woodstove. Others, who rely on electric heat and don’t have a backup, should shut off rooms that don’t have water pipes in them, to keep heat contained.

“Most of these buildings, because they’re new builds, have extremely efficient construction that will retain heat longer,” Skarnulis says. 

People can also put blankets next to door seals or hang them in front of windows, to keep the heat in, he said.

For residents on city water, the pumping stations have backup generators. Others on well water might find their pumps don’t work. Part of their plan should include having drinking water on hand, says Skarnulis. 

Keeping vehicles topped up with fuel and having a spare jerry can is also a good idea, though Skarnulis said there's no concern at the moment about the territory's fuel supply.

“Fuel is being delivered daily,” he said.

Some gas pumps in the territory have periodically stopped working in the cold, but Skarnulis says those are likely issues with touch-screen technology on the pumps — not a limited fuel supply.