An electrical power connector includes a connector housing having a slot at a mating end of the connector housing configured to receive a power distribution assembly. The electrical power connector includes power contacts received in the connector housing configured to be is coupled to a power distribution contact of the power distribution assembly. The electrical power connector includes a monitoring device having a monitoring circuit, a monitoring sensor coupled to the monitoring circuit, and a monitoring transmitter coupled to the monitoring circuit. The monitoring sensor is coupled to the power contact to monitor an operating characteristic of the power contact. The monitoring circuit receives sensor signals from the monitoring sensor and the monitoring transmitter transmits monitoring signals from the monitoring circuit based on the operating characteristic of the power contact to a monitoring network remote from the electrical power connector.