ENMAX

🔥 How do we reduce the risk of power poles catching fire? It’s all about prevention.

Dirt, dust and road salt can build up on power pole insulators over time. When moisture is present, electricity can track across that buildup, creating heat that may lead to a pole fire.

To help reduce this risk, we've upgraded more than 8,000 power poles with fibreglass crossarms since 2008, and the work continues every year through inspections and targeted infrastructure improvements.

It's one of the many ways we're working behind the scenes to keep Calgary's electricity reliable and our communities safe.

We’re keeping trees and power lines in a healthy long-distance relationship. Why? Because trees can conduct electricity which can lead to personal injury, equipment damage and power outages.

We also help arborists stay safe by creating a safe clearance zone for pruning or removing trees. So if you see a tree branch near a power line, or you need a tree removed that is close to the lines, give us a call at 403-514-3459 or email [email protected].

Fun fact: We maintain 9,181 km of distribution lines. ⚡

That's enough to drive from Calgary to St. John's and back, or travel one-way to Istanbul, or make more than 35 round trips to Banff (yes, we did the math).

Behind those kilometres is a team working every day to keep the lights on and deliver some of the most reliable electricity in the country.

This 63-tonne turbine at Shepard Energy Centre is like a giant jet engine that (usually) stays in one place. Hot gases rush past the blades to make it spin and the connected generator makes electricity. Every few years, the turbine is lifted out of its casing to be fully inspected and refurbished or replaced.

This work took years to plan and was completed over a few weeks with technicians working around the clock. Proactive maintenance like this is important because Shepard Energy Centre supplies the Alberta electricity grid with 860 megawatts (enough to meet almost half of Calgary’s current electricity needs). Thank you to all the professionals who work with such precision and care, including our partners at Mitsubishi Power Americas.

What to do when the power goes out in Calgary?
 
Step 1: Check your breakers⚡
Step 2: See if your neighbours have power👀
Step 3: Check the outage map➡️outages.enmax.com
Step 4: Report an outage if one hasn’t been reported in your neighbourhood🚩

Trouble Crew = first responders. They’re present in communities across Calgary 24/7 conducting inspections and responding to any power related issues you may experience, including outages. They ‘triage’ the issue and, in the case of an outage, focus on restoring power while keeping the safety of our community top of mind. If a power restoration needs more people or resources, they dial our dispatchers to send in more support. Here’s a quick look at what a day is like for a Trouble Crew team member.

Calgary’s original substation has now retired after 100+ years of serving Calgarians. It has handed the reins of powering nearly half of downtown to the new Substation No.1.

Infrastructure improvements like this are necessary to make sure Calgary’s core has reliable power for decades to come, as our city and the demand for electricity grow.