About Us

Community Involvement
Dec 12, 2012  Comment

Share the Spirit

  Share the Spirit! Yukon Energy staff delivered a big box of toys to the Kinette Club of Whitehorse today to help make Christmas a little bit better for some of our local families. Thanks to our employees who donated the toys and to the Kinettes who do such great work at Christmas and throughout the year.
General, Community Involvement
Dec 14, 2012  Comment

Our ‘Like Us’ Campaign

 You are most likely aware of the growing needs of the Whitehorse food bank. With your help, we can raise up to $10,000 for the food bank. For every new Facebook page Like we receive between now and New Year’s Eve, we will donate $2 to the social agency. If we get 2,500 Likes we’ll double that amount, so this could result in a $10,000 donation to the food bank (this money will come out of our profits so no ratepayers will be affected by this initiative). While this will help those in need, it will also allow us to better communicate with Yukoners. More and more, people are using mobile devices and social media to get time sensitive information from us (like during power outages). The more people we can connect to our Facebook page, the more Yukoners we can reach during times when we need to pass along critical information. Please help us by encouraging those in your circle of Facebook friends to Like our page. Many thanks.
Energy Supply
Jan 09, 2013  Comment

Biomass Technology for Haines Junction?

 Over the last year or so, Yukon Energy has been exploring the possibility of using beetle killed and fire killed wood to produce electricity and heat buildings. We are currently working with several partners (the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, the Dakwakada Development Corporation, Cold Climate Innovation of the Yukon Research Centre, and the Village of Haines Junction), looking at a potential opportunity to produce renewable energy in the Haines Junction area using biomass technology. You can read more about our work here.  If you have questions or comments about this potential project, we invite you to join us for a public open house: Tuesday, January 22, 2013, starting at 5:30 p.m. at the new Da Ku Cultural Centre, 280 Alaska Highway in Haines Junction.  
Community Involvement
Jan 09, 2013  Comment

Lending a Hand

  Yukon Energy vice-president Michael Brandt presented a cheque today for $10,000 to Stu Mackay of the Whitehorse Food Bank. 
Energy Conservation
Jan 11, 2013  3

How’s Our Lighting, Part 2

Two years ago, Yukon Energy partnered with the Energy Solutions Centre to install six Light Emitting Diode (LED) streetlights in Dawson City. We wanted to find out how they would perform in extreme winter conditions compared to the traditional street lights. We learned that the annual energy used by the traditional High Pressure Sodium (HPS) streetlights is 416 kilowatt hours per light. The energy used by the LED lights is 150 kilowatt hours per light, a savings of 64 percent. A public opinion survey conducted in Dawson City in February 2011 indicated that of the 76 responses, 87 percent like the LED lights and feel they provide the correct amount of light, and 89 percent support switching to LED streetlights. While in principle we support moving to LED streetlights on a broader scale, we wanted to gather more information first. New products have come on the market since we installed the first LED lights in Dawson. Also, the Dawson LEDs are all the same type. We decided to do a follow up pilot to test the newest models from a few different brands. This will ensure that if we move ahead with installing LEDs throughout our service areas, we will know which is the best type for our northern climate. We have selected Mendenhall as the area for our follow-up pilot. In partnership with Yukon Electrical Company Limited, we recently installed six new LED streetlights (three different brands/types) at various spots throughout the Mendenhall subdivision. The map below shows exact locations. We will monitor and collect data from these lights for the rest of this winter. If you are a Mendenhall resident, we’d also like to hear from you about the LEDs. Watch for a survey in your mailbox in a few months. However you don’t have to wait until then to tell us what you think of the lights. Contact us at any time with your comments. We’ll post a summary of our results here on this blog and on our website.

Community Involvement, Energy Conservation
Jan 17, 2013  Comment

Conversations in Conservation: A New Speaker Series

Conversations in conservation...try saying that five times quickly! Actually, we won’t ask you to tackle tongue twisters. What we would like you to do is to join us once a month for a new speaker series we are launching called “Conversations in Conservation”. The last Thursday of every month, from 12 noon to 1 p.m., we’ll feature various speakers who will cover a wide variety of energy conservation-related topics. The first event takes place on January 31st. Our speaker that day is Shannon Clohosey from the City of Whitehorse. She’ll discuss what the city is doing, with Yukon Energy’s help, to learn where energy is used throughout the city's operations. She'll also talk about an energy management plan the city expects to roll out that should greatly reduce the municipality's energy use. Come with your questions and curiosity, and perhaps a sandwich. We’ll supply cookies and beverages. All the “Conversations in Conservation” events will take place at the Westmark Hotel (Room 4) in downtown Whitehorse. They’re free and open to everyone. For more information, email stephanie.whitehead@yec.yk.ca or call (867) 393-3897.  
Energy Supply
Jan 21, 2013  Comment

New Date for Our Biomass Open House

 Please note that our Biomass Open House originally planned for tomorrow night in Haines Junction has been rescheduled. This postponement is out of respect for the funeral of a member of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations. The Open House will now take place on Wednesday, January 23, 5:30 p.m. at Da Kų Cultural Centre in Haines Junction. Dinner will be provided.
Energy Conservation
Jan 24, 2013  Comment

Our Energy Ambassadors

Electricity conservation is a critical element in helping us meet Yukon's demand for power now and into the future. Every kilowatt saved is a kilowatt that we don't have to find through new generation. There are many Yukoners already taking steps to conserve. We've launched a new campaign featuring some of those energy ambassadors. They're doing simple things to reduce their electrical consumption, and it's resulting in big dollar savings for them. Maybe their actions will inspire you to find your own ways to conserve!
Community Involvement, Energy Conservation
Jan 24, 2013  Comment

Lots of Interest in Biomass!

  What a great turnout last night for our biomass Open House in Haines Junction! Thank you to the 75-80 people who attended. As one local resident put it, "This is the most well attended non-bingo event I've seen in this community!" You asked great questions and made thoughtful comments.  Working with all our partners, the next step is to complete the feasibility study (expected in a couple of months). We'll then have a better sense of whether a biomass project is viable for the Haines Junction area. We'll share the outcome of that study once we've received it.
Community Involvement, Energy Conservation
Jan 28, 2013  1

Energy Conservation Can Be Romantic!

 Want to set a romantic mood this Valentine’s Day? We have an idea that will allow you to dial up the ambiance, reduce your energy usage, and have a chance to win a great prize. We’re challenging you to host a candlelit dinner on Thursday, February 14th. No electric lights; just the soft glow from candles. Post a photo or short story on our Facebook page about your special meal and we’ll put your name in a draw for a ‘breakfast in bed’ picnic basket. The basket will include a number of locally made products like jam, bread, coffee, massage oil, and slippers. It’ll give you a chance to keep that love going! You must post your story or photo no later than 9 a.m. Yukon time on February 18th. We’ll award the prize later that week. If you’re a restaurant owner or operator and you’re planning to host a candlelit dinner at your establishment on Valentine’s Day, let us know that too. We’re happy to promote any Yukon restaurant that is going to show some love for its customers and the environment this Valentines by offering ‘conservation dinners’. One last thing for those of you taking part in our candlelit dinner challenge: in between whispering sweet nothings in your sweetheart’s ear, you can quiz that person using some Table Top Trivia questions we have prepared. Watch for those to be posted here next week.

News, Energy Supply
Jan 31, 2013  Comment

Our Letter of Intent With Copper North

 Yukon Energy has signed a Letter of Intent with Copper North Mining Corp., the company that hopes to operate the Carmacks Copper mine in the Central Yukon. The letter essentially says we will work with Copper North to negotiate a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Among other things, the PPA would outline the terms and conditions by which Yukon Energy would supply power to the mine site. It would specify the electricity requirements at the mine and would detail the amount and terms by which Copper North would pay Yukon Energy for electricity services. It’s not known how long it will take to reach a Power Purchase Agreement.
Community Involvement, Energy Conservation
Feb 05, 2013  Comment

Take the Challenge; Show Some Love!

 Don’t forget about our candlelit dinner challenge this Valentine’s Day! We’re inviting you to have a candlelit dinner on Thursday, February 14th. No electric lights; just the soft glow from candles. Post a photo or short story on our Facebook page about your special meal and we’ll put your name in a draw for a ‘breakfast in bed’ picnic basket. The basket will include a number of locally made products like jam, breads, coffee, massage oil, and more. It’ll give you a chance to keep that love going! You must post your story or photo no later than 9 a.m. Yukon time on February 18th. We’ll award the prize later that week. We promised to provide some Table Top Trivia questions for your special dinner. Here they are: 1. What per cent of heat is wasted when you open the oven door to sneak a peek? Answer: 20 per cent. Best to use your oven light and look through the window. 2. True or False: a set top box or “personal video recorder” (PVR) can use about the same amount of energy as a fridge. Answer: True. Cable boxes keep running at full power even when you've turned it off. For a smarter option, look for an ENERGY STAR® product. 3. How much energy do screen savers save? Answer: None. Screen savers actually waste energy! We suggest you turn off your monitor when you're not using it. 4. Which household appliance uses the most energy?     A: Refrigerator     B: Toaster     C: Dishwasher     D: Washing machine Answer: A. Refrigerators and freezers are two of the most energy consuming appliances. If your appliance is old or not working well, it's likely a good investment to replace it. If replacing your fridge or freezer is not feasible right now, keep it well maintained and use it efficiently. If you have a working second fridge or freezer that's wasting power, check out the Refrigerator and Freezer Retirement Program, sponsored by the Energy Solutions Centre and Yukon Energy. 
Energy Conservation, Energy Supply, Environment
Feb 07, 2013  Comment

Put On That Sweater!

 Did you know today is National Sweater Day? To mark the occasion, here's an article from the World Wildlife Fund's blog that you might find informative. What about you? How are you marking Sweater Day? Are you the kind of person who turns up the heat or do you don a sweater instead? 
News
Feb 14, 2013  Comment

Heating a House With a Hair Dryer

Heating a home on less than the power of a hair dryer? Sounds impossible, especially here in Yukon! But inventor and Certified Passive House Consultant Andy Lera says it can be done; he’s designed and built his own Passive House near Whitehorse. He wants to share his knowledge with you. Andy will be speaking at our next Conversations in Conservation event, taking place on Thursday February 28th from noon to 1 p.m. at the Westmark Hotel in Whitehorse. His talk is free and open to everyone. Cookies and refreshments will be provided. A Passive House is a building that reduces 90 percent of space heating costs by being extremely well-insulated and incredibly air tight. Lots of planning is done to ensure all the components of the house work together to achieve a very high energy efficiency. The theory can easily be applied to buildings of any size, including apartment complexes and commercial space. We hope you can join us on the 28th. If you’d like to read more about Andy’s company and Passive Houses, visit http://www.risingsuninnovations.com/Rising_Sun/Services.html Conversations in Conservation is a regular series hosted by Yukon Energy. The talks occur the last Thursday of every month over the lunch hour. They feature various speakers who cover a wide variety of energy conservation-related topics.  
Community Involvement, Energy Conservation
Feb 11, 2013  Comment

Spend Your Energy on Romance; Not Electric Lights

 How are your plans coming for Valentine's Day? We're encouraging you to have a candlelit dinner (no electric lights; just the glow of candles) this Thursday. If you take a photo or write a few paragraphs about the experience and post either on our Facebook page, we'll enter your name in a draw for the "breakfast in bed" basket of goodies seen here.  You must post your photo or story on our Facebook page no later than 9 a.m. Yukon time on February 18th.  We're also interested in hearing about any Yukon restaurants that are offering candlelit dinners (no electric lights) on Valentine's Day. If you know of such a restaurant, tell us and we'll promote it on our Facebook page. This basket includes a bodum, Klondike Gold coffee, muffins and scones, truffles, a beeswax candle, massage oil, two types of jam, and more.

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