An early freeze just gave Quebec a scary preview of its energy future. (CBC)
Hydro-Québec issued rare "Level 2" alerts last week after temperatures dropped and demand surged to 38,000 MW—a massive jump over the 29,000 MW average—catching the grid off guard while several turbines were offline for repairs.
It got tight enough that the utility had to ask ski resorts to delay opening their lifts in the morning to save power.
The warning: While they avoided rolling blackouts this time, experts warn this is a glimpse of a "tighter" future where Quebec’s historic surplus of cheap hydro can no longer be taken for granted.