Power crunch forces blackouts (Canada)

More than 7,300 homes in Ottawa lost their power last night as demand for electricity hit a record high in Ontario, overloading the embattled power grid and prompting rolling blackouts.

At 6 p.m., just hours after Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty warned striking Hydro One workers that he will take “whatever steps are necessary” to protect the province’s electricity supply, the demand for electricity in Ontario reached 26,157 megawatts, its highest level in history.

Canada.com