News & Events

Check this section for Yukon Energy's latest news and coming events.

If you have questions about any of the information posted here, please contact:

Lisa Wiklund
Manager, Community Relations
Yukon Energy Corporation
Phone: (867) 393-5398
Email: Lisa.Wiklund@yec.yk.ca

News, Community Involvement
Oct 02, 2015  Comment

Giving Back Through the United Way Campaign

Congratulations to all the organizers and volunteers at this morning's United Way breakfast in Whitehorse. This is a great cause that helps many people around the territory. Shown here is Yukon Energy's President and CEO Andrew Hall serving up bacon and sausages. Yukon Energy staff will be raising funds internally this month to donate to the United Way. We'll also be volunteering at the Whitehorse Food Bank next Thursday as a part of the campaign and our own corporate commitment to help improve the quality of life for Yukoners.

News, Safety
Oct 05, 2015  Comment

High Scores for Safety at Yukon Energy

Yukon Energy strongly believes than when it comes to safety, we must not just talk the talk but also walk the walk.  Our commitment to safety was recognized last week when we received word that we had scored 92 percent on an external audit done to maintain our Certificate of Recognition (COR). Yukon Energy became COR certified in 2009. External audits are done every three years to continue our certification.   We received high scores in all categories, and had perfect scores in several areas, including Safe Work Practices and Safe Job Procedures. The auditor said this was the first time he had ever awarded any company 100 percent in both those categories.  The  COR program is an occupational health and safety accreditation initiative that verifies a fully implemented safety and health program that meets national standards.   We would like to thank all our staff for their continued commitment to the safety program here at Yukon Energy.   Photo: staff luncheon in our diesel plant to celebrate our COR re-certification.
General, News, Community Involvement, Energy Supply, Partnerships
Oct 06, 2015  Comment

Working With Yukoners to Plan the Next 20 Years

Yukon Energy is looking to Yukoners to help chart the course of the territory’s short to medium-term electricity future. We are starting the process of updating our resource plan, which will cover the years 2016 to 2035.  Over the next 12 to 15 months, we will work with you through a public process that will allow us to: Determine what the electricity needs are expected to be in the territory over the next 20 years; Determine how much of an electricity shortage there will be over that time period; Examine all possible energy options available, analyze each one based on consistent criteria, and determine which ones are the best choices for the territory technically, economically, environmentally, and socially; and Write a resource plan that will be submitted to the Yukon Utilities Board for review. Planning for Yukoners’ power needs takes careful thought and research, and a balancing of values. It requires input from all Yukoners since we all have a stake in the territory’s electricity future. Yukoners can make their voices heard at every step in the planning process. It is important that we understand people’s values, so they can be reflected in the resource plan. You can provide input through public meetings, a comprehensive values-based survey and a new interactive website, among other things. We hope to increase electricity literacy through a series of information pieces placed in a Yukon newspaper and mailed to households. There will be direct and ongoing engagement with First Nations throughout the resource planning process. We recognize that First Nations have the right to be engaged as a government, a potential energy investor or proponent, and as Yukon citizens. We expect to have a resource plan to submit to the Yukon Utilities Board early in 2017.
News, Energy Supply, Power Outage Updates
Oct 20, 2015  Comment

Planned Power Outages - Tuesday, Oct. 27th

For customers in Braeburn, South Fox, Little Fox, Drury Creek, and  Little Salmon, you will experience two outages on Tuesday, Oct. 27th at some point between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Each outage will last between 15 and 25 minutes. These outages are necessary so crews can work safely on our equipment. Please share this information with your neighbours.
News, Community Involvement
Oct 26, 2015  Comment

Lending Hands to Paws

Yukon Energy would like to send a shout out to the staff and volunteers of the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter in Whitehorse. They provide a crucial service in our community. As a show of appreciation, some of our staff spent the morning painting their two cat rooms. We hope the felines like their new digs.

News, Energy Supply
Nov 02, 2015  Comment

Wind Monitoring on Mount Sumanik

Yukon Energy has begun collecting real-time wind and weather data on Mount Sumanik near Whitehorse. We'll use the information to help us determine whether Sumanik is the best location for a wind farm. A few days ago we installed what is known as a LiDAR system. The system has the ability to collect data at altitudes ranging from 20 metres above the ground to 300 metres. Along with information about vertical and horizontal wind speed and direction, it can record temperature and humidity. It logs data every 15 seconds.  We would like to have at least two years of data to make an informed decision about the Mount Sumanik site. We will compare this information to similar data collected over the last few years at Tehcho near Stewart Crossing, and then determine which is the better wind site. The photos below show the LiDAR system being delivered by helicopter, along with the trailer that houses the generators, batteries and a small heater.

News, Community Involvement, Environment, Partnerships
Nov 04, 2015  Comment

Yukon Energy’s Role in the Salmon in the Classroom Program

For the past few years, Yukon Energy has provided between 1,000 and 1,200 fertilized (eyed) eggs annually to schools in Whitehorse and some outlying communities for the Salmon in the Classroom program run by local biologist Nick de Graff. Nick collects the eggs from our Whitehorse Rapids Fish Hatchery and takes them to tanks set up in various schools. The program gives students an opportunity to learn about the life cycle of the salmon and care for this precious resource. Once the eggs hatch and move from the alevin to the fry stage, they are taken to Yukon College's McIntyre Creek hatchery where they are tagged and released into the wild. Here are a few photos of the eggs that were transported today to Elijah Smith School in Whitehorse. Our thanks to the Yukon River Salmon Panel for helping to fund this project, to our hatchery manager Lawrence Vano, and to Nick. Fertilized (eyed) Chinook salmon eggs in trays at the Whitehorse Rapids Fish Hatchery. This piece of equipment easily counts 100 eggs at a time. Each school is given 100 eggs to care for. The eggs are put in water-filled baggies for transport. They are then placed in small coolers for the drive to the schools. Grade 7 students at Elijah Smith School in Whitehorse carefully release the eggs into the tank.
Media Releases
Oct 06, 2015  Comment

Yukon Energy Begins Works With Yukoners to Plan Next 20 Years

Yukon Energy is looking to Yukoners to help chart the course of the territory’s short to medium-term electricity future. The energy corporation is starting the process of updating its resource plan, which will cover the years 2016 to 2035.  “Planning for Yukoners’ power needs takes careful thought and research, and a balancing of values,” Yukon Energy President Andrew Hall said. “It requires input from all Yukoners since we all have a stake in the territory’s electricity future.” Over the next 12 to 15 months, Yukon Energy will be involved in a public process that will allow the corporation to: Determine what the electricity needs are expected to be in the territory over the next 20 years; Determine how much of an electricity shortage there will be over that time period; Examine all possible energy options available, analyze each one based on consistent criteria, and determine which ones are the best choices for the territory technically, economically, environmentally, and socially; and Write a resource plan that will be submitted to the Yukon Utilities Board for review. “Yukoners can make their voices heard at every step in the planning process,” Hall said. “It is important that we understand people’s values, so they can be reflected in the resource plan.” Yukoners can provide input through public meetings, a comprehensive values-based survey and a new interactive website, among other things. Yukon Energy hopes to increase electricity literacy through a series of information pieces placed in a Yukon newspaper and mailed to households. There will be direct and ongoing engagement with First Nations throughout the resource planning process. “We recognize that First Nations have the right to be engaged as a government, a potential energy investor or proponent, and as Yukon citizens, and we will work with them on all those levels,” Hall said. Yukon Energy expects to have a resource plan to submit to the Yukon Utilities Board early in 2017. Contact: Janet Patterson                                                                        Manager, Communications Yukon Energy Corporation (867) 393-5333                                                                       janet.patterson@yec.yk.ca
News, Energy Conservation, Partnerships
Feb 04, 2016  Comment

inCharge is back!

The territory-wide electricity conservation program inCharge is back for another year, and so are the rebates on LED lights and block heater timers. inCharge is a joint Yukon Energy/ATCO Electric Yukon initiative aimed at helping you save electricity and money. Visit the inCharge website for details.
News, Energy Conservation, Energy Supply, Partnerships
Jan 07, 2016  Comment

Making the Switch to LED Streetlights

We have decided to replace all of our existing streetlights with energy efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights. We will begin changing out the streetlights in Dawson City within the next few weeks. Later in the year we will install LED streetlights in the rest of our service areas, including Mayo, Faro, Champagne and Mendenhall. Switching to LED streetlights will mean lower power bills for those rural communities we serve and is a better choice for the environment. The Dawson project should see a reduction of around 32 megawatt hours per year, which is equivalent to the amount of power used in one year by three average Yukon homes. LED streetlights now cost less than traditional streetlights ($184 per LED light compared to $240 per traditional HPS light). They are also expected to last much longer: 25 years as opposed to four years for HPS bulbs. Yukon Energy has run LED streetlight pilot projects over the last five years in Dawson City and Mendenhall, in partnership with the Yukon government’s Energy Solution Centre (for Dawson) and ATCO Electric Yukon (for Mendenhall). The research shows that LEDs work well in the territory’s cold climate and that they use about half as much electricity as the traditional high pressure sodium (HPS) streetlights. This means municipalities will see reduced power bills by about $29 a year per light. Dawson has approximately 170 residential streetlights, giving the town an annual savings of nearly $5,000. Feedback from residents in Dawson and Mendenhall indicates most people like the quality of the LED light. The cost of switching out the Dawson streetlights will be about $50,000, and the price of the entire switch-out will be approximately $120,000. With the energy and maintenance savings, the project is a very cost effective way of meeting the territory’s energy needs, particularly during the dark winters when demand on the grid is at its highest. Residential customers can also see savings by switching to LED lights. Our electricity conservation and efficiency program inCharge is currently offering $7 rebates on each package of ENERGY STAR® LED lights. 
Media Releases
Jan 04, 2016  Comment

Yukon Energy Begins the Switch to LED Streetlights Throughout its Service Area

Yukon Energy is replacing all of its existing streetlights with energy efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights. The energy corporation will begin changing out the streetlights in Dawson City within the next few weeks. Later in the year it will install LED streetlights in the rest of Yukon Energy’s service areas, including Mayo, Faro, Champagne and Mendenhall. “Switching to LED streetlights will mean lower power bills for those rural communities we serve and is a better choice for the environment,” Yukon Energy President Andrew Hall said. “Energy efficiency and conservation are key pillars in Yukon Energy’s operation,” Hall added. “A megawatt saved through initiatives like this is a megawatt we don’t have to build.” The Dawson project should see a reduction of around 32 megawatt hours per year, which is equivalent to the amount of power used in one year by three average Yukon homes. LED streetlights now cost less than traditional streetlights ($184 per LED light compared to $240 per traditional HPS light). They are also expected to last much longer: 25 years as opposed to four years for HPS bulbs. “As an emissions-cutting and money saving technology, LED street lighting is a no-brainer,” Dawson City’s Protective Services Manager Jim Regimbal said, who has been working with Yukon Energy in moving this project forward. “Switching to LEDs is not only beneficial in terms of savings and emissions, the light quality improvements result in better visibility and reductions in road accidents. Energy savings and a safer community – now that’s a win all around,” Regimbal added. Yukon Energy has run LED streetlight pilot projects over the last five years in Dawson City and Mendenhall, in partnership with the Yukon government’s Energy Solution Centre (for Dawson) and ATCO Electric Yukon (for Mendenhall). The research shows that LEDs work well in the territory’s cold climate and that they use about half as much electricity as the traditional high pressure sodium (HPS) streetlights. This means municipalities will see reduced power bills by about $29 a year per light. Dawson has approximately 170 residential streetlights, giving the town an annual savings of nearly $5,000. Feedback from residents in Dawson and Mendenhall indicates most people like the quality of the LED light. LED lights also produce much lower levels of light pollution. The cost of switching out the Dawson streetlights will be about $50,000. With the energy and maintenance savings, the project is a very cost effective way of meeting the territory’s energy needs, particularly during the dark winters when demand on the grid is at its highest. Residential customers can also see savings by switching to LED lights. Yukon’s electricity conservation and efficiency program inCharge is currently offering $7 rebates on each package of ENERGY STAR® LED lights. Learn more about this program by visiting www.inchargeyukon.ca. -30- Contact: Janet Patterson Communications, Yukon Energy Corporation (867) 393-5333 janet.patterson@yec.yk.ca
News
Dec 18, 2015  Comment

Be Aware of Calls from People Posing as Yukon Energy Reps

We have just received word that someone posing as Yukon Energy or ATCO Electric Yukon representatives is calling Yukon businesses and telling them that their power will be cut off in 30 minutes if they don't pay their bill right away. In some cases, customers are being asked to call 1-800-969-5054 to make their payment or to use a pre-paid credit card. These calls are not being made by either utility. If you receive a call like this, do not make a payment and please call the RCMP Anti-Fraud line at 1-888-495-8501.
News, Energy Supply, Power Outage Updates, Reliability
Dec 03, 2015  Comment

Brief Outages Planned for Champagne and Mendenhall

To our customers at Champagne and Mendenhall: we need to repair a piece of equipment at our Aishihik plant today (Dec. 3rd), which means taking the powerline between Takhini and Aishihik out of commission for a few hours. During that time, we will serve Champagne with a portable diesel generator, and will re-route power to Mendenhall. There will be two brief (no more than 15 minutes each) outages for you today between noon and 4 p.m. while we do the required switching. While Aishihik is out of service, we will be generating electricity using both our natural gas units, plus a few of our diesel generators.
News, Energy Supply, Reliability
Nov 26, 2015  Comment

Yukon Energy Wins Another Award for Mayo B Project

Yukon Energy is honoured to have received another award for our Mayo B project. The Tunnelling Association of Canada has recognized Yukon Energy and the major contractors who worked on Mayo B by presenting us with the "2015 Innovative Project of the Year Award". The major contractors include KGS Group, Peter Kiewit Infrastructure, Procon Mining and Tunnelling, Golder Associates, and Boro Lukajuk & Associates. This video, produced by the Tunnelling Association, provides some context as to why the project was selected for the award. This is the second award we have received for Mayo B. In 2012, we received the Yukon Engineers Excellence Award, presented by the Association of Professional Engineers of Yukon to recognize achievements by local professional engineers and to promote excellence in engineering in unique northern climates and terrain.   Photo: Yukon Energy President Andrew Hall with the award.
News, Community Involvement, Environment
Nov 24, 2015  Comment

Yukon Energy Provides Precious Resource for Fox Creek Restoration Project

Yukon Energy handed over some very special cargo to the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council earlier this month. Our Whitehorse Rapids Fish Hatchery provided the First Nation with more than 50,000 fertilized (eyed) Chinook salmon eggs.  The eggs are part of a program to restore the Chinook salmon run at Fox Creek, a tributary of Lake Laberge about 50 kilometres north of Whitehorse. The creek supported a spawning population of Chinook salmon until the 1950s, when the fish disappeared. No one is sure why this happened.  Several years ago, Ta’an began working with Yukon Energy and other partners to restock the creek. Yukon Energy’s hatchery provides the eggs, which each fall are transferred to Yukon College’s McIntyre Creek Hatchery. The eggs incubate and hatch over the winter and the subsequent young fry are tagged and released into Fox Creek during the summer. There are some promising indications that the efforts are starting to pay off. The Ta’an Kwäch’än Council reported seeing nine Chinook salmon this past summer in the Fox Creek spawning grounds. Yukon Energy looks forward to continuing our partnership with Ta’an on this important project. Fertilized (eyed) eggs up close Whitehorse Rapids Fish Hatchery Manager Lawrence Vano hands over the eggs to Ta'an Councillor Delilah Pillai and contractor Deb Fulmer. The eggs arrive safe and sound at the McIntyre Creek fish hatchery.

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