Extreme cold pushes Yukon power grid to the brink

Extreme cold is drawing near the prospect of rolling blackouts in Whitehorse.

“It is important to know we’re close,” said Ted Laking, the minister responsible for Yukon Energy. “The grid is strained, and conserving energy is a really good way that folks can help us through this.

“Time is of the essence. We need to get things going as quickly as possible.”

Frigid temperatures that have dropped below -50 in some communities continue to keep much of the territory in their grip. There’s no sign of that weather, a system of which comes from Siberia, easing up any time soon. 

The grid is operating at near capacity — thermal and hydroelectric power both, with a fraction of wind generation thrown into the mix. 

Tuesday morning, Laking said Whitehorse is not yet at the stage where rolling blackouts are needed.

Asked how close the territory is to taking that drastic measure, Laking said he doesn’t have that information.

On Monday, peak demand shattered records. Yukoners pulled 123 megawatts of power, a massive amount of energy. For the sake of comparison, the whole system can accommodate 140 megawatts.

Laking said alleviating such pressures requires a concerted effort, that each Yukoner scale back their energy use. That includes shutting lights off, using appliances during off-peak hours and not blasting heat to the degree you’re wearing a t-shirt indoors.

As the name suggests, the blackouts would happen iteratively — by neighbourhood. So power downtown would be temporarily shut off, then Takhini, and so on. The idea is to give the system a break.

Laking is urging Yukoners put together 72-hour emergency kits. They could include flashlights, candles, emergency blankets and food — enough supplies to last for three days.

“Make sure your vehicle is fuelled up, just in case,” Laking said.

“We're going to ensure we can do everything we can to ensure that the equipment stays reliable and is maintained through the winter, so we don't end up with any failures because that's the ultimate goal, that we don't get to the emergency situation.”

The issue has refocused attention on the grid's limitations, Laking said.