It’s so cold in the Yukon, the power grid can’t keep up

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 hover around -40 C continue to keep much of the territory in its 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.

“There’s a lot of big policy questions to have over the next several months as we try to address the issues that are facing our energy grid,” he said.

A spokesperson with Yukon Energy wasn’t immediately available for comment.

Power was downed in Haines Junction Monday following an exhaust leak at the generating station. People say they saw plumes of black smoke billowing out of the facility.

Like in Whitehorse, the mercury dropped below -40 C.

Power has since been restored, but the risk remains, Diane Strand, the community’s mayor, told CBC News. 

Strand said the community has rallied, snapping into action to help each other. Still, small steps can make a big difference going forward, she said — something as minor as unplugging your television and toaster.

“Even though you may not be using it, it still generates power into that plugin,” she said. “So all of those being unplugged would be absolutely fantastic.”