Could the heat wave cause power outages? How Canadians can prepare

As an intense heat wave is expected in central Canada this week, experts are warning about increasing pressures on the country’s electricity systems.

As an intense heat wave in central Canada ushers in the official start of summer this week, experts are warning about increasing pressures on the country’s electricity systems that have the potential to cause power outages.

Heat warnings were in effect in several regions of southern Ontario and Quebec on Monday, with “dangerously hot and humid” conditions forecast through most of the week, according to Environment Canada.

Heat waves can put strain on the electricity systems in a “two-angled attack,” said Ryan Ness, an adaptation research director at the Canadian Climate Institute in Toronto.

To beat the heat, more people will be running their air conditioning higher, increasing the demand on the system, he said.

And as more electricity is demanded for things like air conditioning, the extra heat generated through the infrastructure adds even more to the “temperature stress” on transformers and other parts of the electricity system, Ness explained.

That could result in power failures or outages.

“Electricity system infrastructure like transformers can only handle so much heat,” Ness said.

Some cities are expecting daytime highs to hit 30 to 35 C and humidex values of 40 to 45 through much of the week, according to Environment Canada.