Media Advisory – AESO provides update on temporary power outages from Sunday night

CALGARY, ALBERTA, (FEBRUARY 22, 2021)

On Sunday, Feb. 21 at 9:13 p.m. Alberta experienced a frequency disturbance on the power system that caused built-in safeguards to trip power to certain areas of the province. The disturbance lasted roughly 20 minutes and affected approximately 125 MW of load (customers). The disturbance was initiated by the unexpected loss of the Alberta-British Columbia transmission line.

North American reliability standards are in place to deal with situations like this and specific substations in the province are instantaneously sent a signal to cut power to balance frequency.

At no time was Alberta in an Energy Emergency Alert situation like what was experienced in Texas and other parts of the southern United States last week.

More information on the AESO can be found at www.aeso.ca.

For more information, contact:

Mike Deising
Director, Communications
Phone: 403-651-0512
Email: mike.deising@aeso.ca
Twitter: @theaeso

The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) is responsible for the safe, reliable, and economic planning and operation of the Alberta Interconnected Electric System. We provide open and non-discriminatory access to Alberta’s interconnected power grid and we also facilitate Alberta’s competitive wholesale electricity market.