Blackout threats in Alberta, explained | The Narwhal
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Albertans get alerted when they’re using too much electricity. How does it work? We break down grid alerts and blackout threats in a new video

Alberta can issue grid alerts when electricity demand threatens to outstrip supply — i.e. there’s risk of a blackout. This can happen for a number of reasons.

A warming planet, with warmer summer months, can have you reaching for the AC remote. Our phones need charging and fridges need to stay plugged in. Add to the grid the data centres Alberta wants to build so we can ask our AI agent of choice to respond to our emails. The list goes on and on.

And as much as the province would like to say it’s because of renewable energy projects, the data tells a different story. Prairies reporter Drew Anderson breaks it down in our latest video.

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Video source notes
Corresponding time stamp Source
00:27 Alberta sets new record for peak electricity use
00:28 Alberta sets all-time record for power consumption
00:52 Alberta’s electricity grid is complicated
01:12 A very involved provincial government
02:34 Data from the grid operator (Alberta Electric System Operator)
02:43 Surge of renewables started around 2020
02:55 Monthly event logs from the grid operator
03:14 Alberta Premier Danielle Smith blaming grid alerts on renewables
03:17 Unplanned outages at natural gas facilities
03:25 Renewable energy share climbed to 22 per cent in 2025
04:50 Alberta’s new plan for its electricity market punishes renewables
05:11 Pipeline agreement between Ottawa and Alberta
05:34 Alberta’s seven-month moratorium on renewable energy projects
05:38 Stiffer energy regulations in the province
05:41 New rules under the restructured energy market
05:50 Alberta’s push for data centres
06:00 Alberta introduces new plan to incentivize data centres to power themselves

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