Amid climate change and weather disruptions, Canada is increasing its electricity imports from the United States of America to avoid power outage.

The New York Times on Monday reported that “U.S. electricity exports to Canada climbed even more, reaching their highest level since at least 2010,” adding that “supply of power — in Canada’s case from giant hydroelectric dams — and the ability to get the energy to where it’s needed are increasingly under strain.”

Some energy experts, according to the newspaper, have attributed Canada’s increased electricity import from the U.S. to “extreme weather.” 

President and Chief Executive of the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority, Chris O’Riley, which operates hydroelectric dams in western Canada, was quoted as saying, “We’ve all got to be humble in the face of more extreme weather. We manage from year to year the ups and downs of water, and when we have the downs like we’re having, the lower levels, it’s common for us to import power, and we expect to continue that this year.”

Similarly, a consultant for corporate customers of Canadian utilities since the 1980s, Robert McCullough, said “We are facing real changes in the weather, and we’re finding out in real time how that’s going to affect hydroelectric operations, pretty much across North America.”

Canada and the U.S. have maintained energy relationships in the past, importing and exporting power respectively at different seasons of the year. However, Canada’s demand for power from the United States has been on the increase in recent times.