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

Energy Supply, Reliability, Safety
Sep 25, 2014  Comment

Good Progress on our Diesel to Natural Gas Conversion Project

For those of you driving by our Whitehorse facilities, you'll have noticed lots of progress being made on the Whitehorse Diesel to Natural Gas Conversion Project. Here are some photos of the more recent work being done. In speaking with one member of the crew, he said that the construction standards for this job are among the most stringent and skookum that he has ever seen. We knew this, but it was encouraging to hear it from an outside source. Photos: www.archbould.com  The design of this retaining wall makes the most efficient use of the available space. This crew member is preparing one of six piers that will hold the three LNG tanks. Once he finishes adding the re-bar for support, concrete will be poured, and will be left to cure for a couple of weeks. Then the tanks, which are each about 70 feet long, can be set in place. This shows work on the empoundment pit, which when completed will act like a big empty bathtub that will collect the LNG in the very unlikely event of a leak or spill. Right now crews are using small pumps to get rid of the groundwater and carry it away from the site. Once the concrete pit is poured, groundwater won't be an issue. This crew member is measuring and cutting styrofoam that will be laid down at the base of the generator pads for frost protection.
News, Energy Conservation
Oct 02, 2014  Comment

First inCharge Community Event Planned

We're very excited about the launch of inCharge, a Yukon-wide conservation program aimed at helping Yukoners save electricity and money. inCharge was created by both Yukon Energy and ATCO Electric Yukon. Our first community event is planned for this Saturday at the Whitehorse Home Hardware store from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come learn more about inCharge and pick up some great LED light bulbs. Not only are some of the bulbs on sale, if you submit a rebate form (available in store or online) before the end of this year, you will get a $7 rebate on your electricity bill for each ENERGY STAR® LED bulb that you buy, up to a maximum of eight bulbs...AND you could win a 40-inch energy efficient TV! Get your rebate in by the end of October and double your chances of winning.  Note that you must be a Yukon residential electricity customer to qualify for the rebates.
Energy Supply, Environment
Oct 07, 2014  Comment

Climate Change and Our Whitehorse Hydro Facilities

For the fourth year in a row, Yukon Energy is working with the Northern Climate ExChange (NCE) of the Yukon Research Centre to gather new information about how climate change could affect hydro generation at the Whitehorse dam. Here is a short video that talks, in part, about this work.
Community Involvement
Oct 10, 2014  Comment

It Takes a Community

We'd like to send a shout out to all the Yukoners who provided goods to the Whitehorse Food Bank this week through the All Schools Food Drive. Yukon Energy staff were at the food bank the day after the goods were delivered, helping to sort. It was quite impressive to see the mounds of donations, and we were struck by what a tremendous community effort goes into keeping the food bank operating. Of course we would prefer if there weren't a need for such an agency. But while there is, it's great to see so many people doing their bit to help. Here are a few pictures of our staff hard at work.  One Yukon Energy employee being interviewed by CBC's Northbeat while she works. Yukon Energy President Andrew Hall presents a cheque for $10,000 to the Executive Director of the food bank, Stephen Dunbar-Edge. The men are flanked by three Yukon Energy employees.
Community Involvement, Safety
Oct 16, 2014  Comment

The Great Yukon ShakeOut

One of our staff who participated in this morning's Great Yukon ShakeOut. Hundreds of Yukoners took part in this earthquake drill at 10:16 a.m., taking cover under their desks and holding on to something sturdy and stable for about a minute. The ShakeOut was a chance to practice how to protect ourselves during an earthquake, and for everyone to become prepared. Full disclosure: this was a staged photo taken before the actual drill, so that the photographer could also participate in the exercise.
News, Energy Supply, Reliability
Oct 21, 2014  Comment

Moving 66,000 Pounds!

The first big piece of equipment was installed this morning at our natural gas generation site in Whitehorse. The E-house, which contains the electrical gear for the substation and other components of the site, was moved onto the property by a large flatbed truck, lifted with a crane that could handle the building's 66,000 pound (30-metric ton) weight, and was gently set on the concrete forms. The lift required precision and skill on the part of both the crane operation and the crew members standing on the ground, who were using a tape measure to ensure the E-house was set exactly where it should go. Photo credit: archbould.com. Safety meeting to prepare for the E-house lift. It takes great skill to do this. The crane operator, however, made it look easy! Inches/centimetres matter when you're placing a massive load like this on its base.  
News, Power Outage Updates
Oct 21, 2014  Comment

Planned Power Outages Next Week

To our customers in Braeburn, South Fox, Champagne, Mendenhall, and Drury Creek: we have a series of short power outages planned next week so we can make some upgrades to our system. Please pass the word on to any friends or neighbours who you know will be affected: Braeburn and South Fox: A short outage at some point between 2 and 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 27th and another short outage on Tuesday Oct. 28th between 2 and 10 p.m. Champagne, Mendenhall and Drury Creek: A short outage at some point between 7 and 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 28th and again later that same day between 2 and 10 p.m. Little Fox: Little Fox will be out all day on Tuesday, Oct. 28th.  We apologize for the inconvenience.  
News, Community Involvement, Energy Conservation
Oct 23, 2014  Comment

inCharge Heading North

Looking to save electricity and money? Our inCharge team is going to be travelling to three Yukon communities in the next several days. Come see us and have a chance to receive a free energy efficient kit worth more than $200! Dawson: Monday, Oct. 27 from 3 - 7 p.m. at Yukon Energy's offices Mayo: Tuesday, Oct. 28 from 6 - 7:30 p.m. at the Curling Lounge Faro: Nov. 4 from noon to 1 p.m. at the Sportsman Lounge
Community Involvement
Oct 24, 2014  Comment

Sea of Pink

Yukon Energy staff in Whitehorse and Dawson City are sporting pink today. It's our way of showing support for breast cancer awareness and research. We are encouraging everyone who can to make a donation today to the Canadian Cancer Society. Thank you! In Whitehorse Two of our Dawson staff
News, Energy Supply, Environment
Oct 30, 2014  Comment

From Banana Peels and Leaves to Heat and Electricity

Is it viable to turn food and yard waste into renewable energy for heating buildings and providing them with electricity? That’s what Yukon Energy is currently looking into, through a partnership with the Cold Climate Innovation Program of the Yukon Research Centre. It’s the first project of its kind ever tried in Yukon. This week, representatives from both companies spent time at the Whitehorse compost site collecting two 55-gallon drums full of organics; one barrel of food waste and the other of yard waste. The material has been sent to Saskatchewan where there will be a trial done to find out how much energy (biogas) can be produced with the organics. The organic mixture, in various ratios of yard versus food waste, will have microbes added to it, and will then be put in a chamber and sealed so no oxygen can get at it. It’s heated to 38 degrees Celsius and left to ‘cook’ for 30 days. During the trial, biogas is produced and collected. Scientists will measure the amount and composition of the biogas and they’ll analyze the chemical characteristics of our organics before and after the testing. This information will give Yukon Energy a good idea of how much biogas could come from Whitehorse’s organic waste. Currently there’s approximately 2,200 tonnes of yard and food waste going to the Whitehorse landfill each year, although that is expected to increase as the City of Whitehorse moves forward with its enhanced diversion plans. The next step of this study is to do a financial analysis to find out if this method of renewable energy production would be economically viable. It's important to note that if this does move ahead as a bigger scale project, the food and yard waste used to generate heat and electricity would go on to be composted as it is now. This project would in no way reduce the amount or quality of compost generated at the landfill site. Photo: Yukon Energy employee collects waste from the compost facility at the Whitehorse landfill.  
Community Involvement, Energy Conservation
Oct 30, 2014  Comment

inCharge Travels North

It was great to chat with some of our customers earlier this week in Mayo and Dawson. Two of our staff were there as representatives of inCharge, the new Yukon-wide electricity conservation program developed jointly by Yukon Energy and ATCO Electric Yukon. We were in the North Yukon to spread the word about inCharge and to hand out some energy saving kits. Watch for similar events in other Yukon communities in the coming weeks and months.

News, Energy Supply, Reliability
Oct 31, 2014  Comment

In Place

Yesterday saw some major changes at Yukon Energy's natural gas site. Two of the three large fuel tanks required for the site were set into place. Each tank weighs 50 metric tonnes and required two cranes to install. Photo credit: www.archbould.com.

News, Energy Supply
Nov 18, 2014  Comment

Thermal Back-up Proves to be Life Line

We are making good progress in getting rid of the ice causing problems for our Whitehorse hydro units. Yesterday afternoon we managed to get our largest Whitehorse hydro generator back on line, and this morning only had to use a small amount of Whitehorse diesel generation to help meet the morning peak. At the time this is being written (noon), we are not running any diesel at all. Divers are still working to clear the ice from the trash racks (metal grates that prevent debris from getting into our turbines) for our three other Whitehorse hydro units. We expect they will be back in operation later today. The problems began on Saturday night, when mild temperatures and high winds caused slushy sheet ice to break away from the shoreline of Schwatka Lake. The ice attached itself to the trash racks of all four of our hydro generators. We were forced to burn a substantial amount of back-up diesel to meet the demand for electricity. This is an example of why Yukon needs thermal back-up. While it’s desirable to not use diesel or natural gas for generation, in a case like this, it was a life line. We lost hydro capacity at our largest hydro generating facility, and yet no one lost their power.  Yukon Energy spent about $192,000 on diesel over the last few days. If the two natural gas units had been in operation, we would have saved at least $34,000 for those three days alone. Here are some photos of the work that's going on to de-ice our trash racks. Photo credit: www.archbould.com. Diver Regis Groleau of ITB Subsea heading under water to melt the ice with help from a steam wand. Yukon Energy staff monitor the work of the divers with the help of underwater camera equipment.
News, Energy Supply
Nov 17, 2014  Comment

Divers Working to Melt Troublesome Ice

Divers will be using a steam truck this morning to melt some ice that is causing problems for our Whitehorse hydro operation. Over the week-end, milder temperatures and strong winds caused some ice to break away from the shoreline on Schwatka Lake and accumulate near our Whitehorse dam and near the intake to our hydro generators. We had to shut down hydro units 1, 2, and 3, and #4 is also giving us trouble because of the ice. If all goes well, we hope to have three of our four hydro generators back on line by tonight or tomorrow morning, with the fourth one to be in service shortly after that. While the units are out of commission, we are using back-up diesel generators in Whitehorse, Dawson and Faro. We have enough diesel back-up to meet peak demand. Here is a photo of the ice build-up near the dam:

News, Energy Supply
Nov 16, 2014  Comment

Icing Issues Causing Hydro Generation Problems

People in Whitehorse, Dawson, Faro and Mayo may notice that we are running some of our diesel generators today. Strong winds caused some icing problems for us at our Whitehorse dam and we have had to shut down some of our hydro units. Divers are being brought in tomorrow to use steam to melt some of the ice, but until then we will be burning a fair amount of diesel.

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