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:


Communications and Community Relations
Phone: (867) 393-5398
Email: communications@yec.yk.ca

Energy Supply
Mar 21, 2011  Comment

Catching the Wind

As you may be aware, Yukon Energy has been looking at two sites for potential wind farms: Mount Sumanik near Whitehorse and Ferry Hill in the Stewart Crossing area. We are advancing both sites as prospective projects and we will include both options in the latest version of our 20-year resource plan, which we are updating this year. We recently began the installation of some state-of-the-art equipment on Ferry Hill so we could measure and monitor wind speeds and several other parameters in real time. The equipment will also help us determine the best design for a potential wind farm on that site. We will monitor the site for at least a year, after which time we will report back to Yukoners with the results. Once we have completed the wind monitoring work on Ferry Hill we are planning to do the same on Mount Sumanik. Much of the general information and analysis of the Ferry Hill site will also be applicable to Mt. Sumanik, a fact that will speed up development time should a project proposal emerge from the study at this location.

Power Outage Updates
Mar 22, 2011  Comment

This Afternooon’s Power Outage

Power has now been restored to almost all Yukon communities that were affected by this afternoon's outage. The power went out to most areas of the Southern and Central Yukon at 2:23 this afternoon. Electricity was restored to almost everyone by 3:45 p.m., with some areas receiving power sooner than that. A few customers between Faro and Carmacks remained without power until about 9:30 tonight. Whenever there is an outage, our first priority is to restore power, and only once that has been accomplished do we begin to investigate the cause. We have dispatched crews to do that investigative work and we hope to know the reason for the outage by tomorrow. Please accept our apologies for any difficulties this outage may have caused you.
Power Outage Updates
Mar 23, 2011  Comment

More On Yesterday’s Power Outage

We now have more information about the cause of yesterday's power outage in the Central and Southern Yukon. The black-out was a result of a problem with a piece of our equipment at the Faro mine. The technical term for the equipment is a low side bus duct, which essentially is a set of cables that connect our transformer to the Faro mine. The mine is currently being fed through an alternate transformer until we can repair or replace the damaged bus duct. The Faro mine noticed smoke and sparks coming from the bus duct, and notified us. We want to thank the mine for reporting the problem to us, because it helped us locate the source of the problem.
Energy Supply
Mar 24, 2011  1

The Long Journey Home

It’s been quite a journey, but the new seven megawatt generator for our Aishihik plant is now on site. The generator was manufactured in India, travelled to Vancouver by boat, and was trucked up the Alaska Highway on a large flatbed. Once in Yukon, it had to cross two bridges on the Aishihik Road that are are not able to support the weight of a 34 tonne generator, so Yukon Energy had an overspan constructed (a steel bridge that fit over the existing bridges) to make the crossings possible. A large loader went ahead of the generator-laden semi-trailer as a precaution, in case it was needed to help pull the load and steer. In the end, the semi was able to handle the job all on its own. Once on site, not one but two cranes were needed to unload the generator. The journey still isn’t quite finished. While it is on our Aishihik property, the generator must be lowered by crane 110 meters into an underground tunnel where the equipment will be moved into place and installed. That will happen this summer and will be done by a subcontractor that specializes in moving large loads. Most of the other components needed to operate the generator have been delivered, although we are still waiting for one more piece (the turbine runner), which should arrive from Austria later this spring. We expect Aishihik 3 to be operating by the fall. The Aishihik third turbine project will allow us to use the water available at our plant more efficiently. It is expected to save Yukon Energy $1.2 million or more per year in diesel costs and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 3,800 tonnes annually. Below are some photos of the generator crossing one of the Aishihik Road bridges, being unloaded at our Aishihik plant, and a shot of where the generator will be installed later this year.  
Community Involvement, Energy Conservation, Energy Supply
Mar 25, 2011  Comment

Charrette Summary

We've had a chance to summarize the discussion/suggestions that came out of our energy charrette held earlier this month. We wanted to share our notes with you. Please be aware that these are notes only; a more comprehensive and formal report will be available by late next month. For those of you who attended the charrette (either the day or the evening sessions), please let us know if you notice anything in these notes that is incorrect or missing.
Community Involvement, Energy Conservation
Mar 27, 2011  4

Way to Go Yukoners!

Give yourself a pat on the back...last night during Earth Hour, Yukoners reduced their energy consumption by about one megawatt. That's the equivalent of 10,000 100-watt light bulbs and that's up from last year, at which time we reduced consumption by .8 of a megawatt during Earth Hour. Tell us what you did to save power last night and your name will go in a draw for a variety of energy-saving devices for your home. The deadline for entries is 9 a.m. tomorrow morning.
Community Involvement, Energy Conservation
Mar 29, 2011  2

And the Winner Is…

Congratulations to Kara Went, who is the winner in our Earth Hour draw for a variety of energy-saving home devices. Thank you to the Yukon government's Energy Solutions Centre and the Yukon Conservation Society for donating some of the prizes, several of which are shown below.

News, Energy Supply
Mar 31, 2011  Comment

Power Switch

CBC News has launched a series of special reports that focus on energy. Although some of the data does not reflect or include Yukon (or the other Canadian territories), there is still a huge amount of information here that you may find interesting and informative. See direct links to many of the articles below. We would love to get your feedback on any of these reports. The Amazing ABCs of Electrical Generation Provincial Strategies: How Energy Policies Differ Across Canada Electricity: Find Out What You'll Pay in 2020 Peace River Project a Wind-Power Success Story FAQ: Nuclear Reactors Solar Energy: Is it Commercially Viable in Canada? Power Calculator: See How Using Different Electricity Sources Affects Prices and Carbon Output MicroFIT Program Sows Seeds of Interest Among Homeowners Smart Grid Promises Big Benefits But Raises Privacy Concerns New Technologies Turn Wasted Thermal Energy Into Electricity Is the Grid Ready for Electric Cars? Trying to Be Kind to the Environment Isn't Always Simple  What Do Those EnerGuide Numbers Mean? Conservation: Does Cutting Back Really Work? Fighting Phantom Power: How to Plug An Energy Leak Energy Sources of the (Near) Future
Energy Conservation
Apr 04, 2011  Comment

Put It All on the Line

Photo courtesy of the New York Times. It's pretty hard to beat the 'great outdoors' fresh smell of clothes that are dried on a line. Now that spring has finally arrived in Yukon, we plan to devote several blog posts to the benefits and rewards of ditching your clothes dryer and using drying racks or clotheslines instead. For starters, here are some quick facts about drying clothes: An electric clothes dryer draws about six percent of a household’s total electricity usage. It is a powerful emitter of carbon dioxide.   Air drying your clothes regularly can lead to savings on your electricity bill of about $100 a year.   A Yukon family living in a community that is served with diesel electricity can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by three quarters of a ton if they use a clothesline or drying rack regularly. In Whitehorse, which is served mostly by hydro, regular air drying can lead to reductions in GHG emissions by about 15 kilograms a year (on average Yukoners emit 10.5 tonnes of GHG emissions per person per year).    Other benefits of line drying: -Clothes smell better -Clothes typically last longer -The sun's ultraviolet rays kill germs -Clothes act as a humidifier when you hang them indoors to dry -Hanging out clothes allows you to get a bit of fresh air and sunlight Watch this blog in the days ahead for more about air drying your clothes. And we'd love to hear from you...do you line dry your clothes? Why or why not? If not, what would it take to convince you to give line drying a try? By the way, we invite you to come hang out with us at this year's Yukon Trade Show in Whitehorse on April 29, 30, and May 1. We'll give away free clothespegs, plus you'll have a chance to win an outdoors clothesline or an indoors clothes drying rack.
Energy Conservation
Apr 06, 2011  Comment

Hangin’ Out

This is the second in a series on how air drying your clothes can save you money and can be kind to the planet. Line drying clothes is easy, but here are some tips that will help you get better results: Buy a good line - Cheaper lines will sag over time. Use a sturdy, thick line and tie it tight. Use vinegar – To keep fabric from becoming stiff, add a half cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.   Don’t hang your line under a tree - Birds. Tree sap. Enough said.   Fold your sheets - Wet sheets are heavy. To keep them from dragging on the ground, fold them in half before pinning them to the line.   Shirts – Hang shirts by the hemline to avoid “bunched shoulders” from the clothespins.   Dresses - To keep a dress's shape, put it on a hanger first and attach the hanger to the line.    Maximize space - If you’ve got a very small area to work with, hang two lines on the same posts; one high for sheets, towels, and jeans, and the other low, for small t-shirts, shorts, underwear, and socks.   Socks – Pin them from the toes. Socks folded over the line take longer to dry. Just because it’s too cold in winter to line dry clothes doesn’t mean you must use an electric dryer. Indoor drying racks will allow you to air dry clothes in your bathroom or by the heating vent. You’ll get the added benefit of the humidity from the wet clothes. Do you have any clothes drying tips to pass along? Let us know! Photo credit: www.gogreentogether.ca.
Energy Supply
Apr 07, 2011  Comment

Laying Pipe

Work is about to begin on another big component of the Mayo B hydro project. Starting tomorrow Kiewit (the construction contractor) will start laying the more than 200 pieces of pipe needed to carry water between Wareham Lake and the new powerhouse, three kilometres away. Each piece of pipe, known as penstock, is more than 18 metres (60 feet) long, and more than three metres (10.5 feet) in diameter. The penstock was fabricated in China, shipped to Vancouver, and then trucked piece by piece to the Mayo site. If you live in Yukon you may have noticed some of this pipe moving up the highway. The penstock work will take place throughout the spring and summer, with completion expected by late August or early September. The Mayo B powerhouse is now completed, and excavation work will resume this month on the tunnel that will connect the penstock with Wareham Lake. The turbines and generators should start to arrive on site at the end of May.   We'll post some photos of the penstock installation on this blog in a couple of weeks.
Community Involvement
Apr 12, 2011  Comment

Welcome Back, Fine Feathered Friends

The cooler than usual spring in Southern Yukon doesn't seem to be deterring the swans. At last count there were more than a hundred trumpeter swans at Swan Haven, and dozens of Common Goldeneye ducks. The area's open water provides a place for the birds to feed and rest in preparation for their journey further north. A visit to Swan Haven in April is a treat for the whole family. You might also enjoy our live swan cam  that Yukon Energy has set up for the third year in a row on the northwestern shore of M'Clintock Bay. There is still a lot of ice on the bay so at this point the swans are quite far away. They will come closer to the camera over the next week or two, at which point you should have a much clearer view of them. While we're on the topic of swans, the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce and Environment Yukon's Wildlife Viewing Program are challenging Yukon businesses to welcome the arrival of the swans by decorating their businesses or selling products with a swan theme. We know of at least one business (Baked Cafe) that is serving swan lattes! Visit Environment Yukon's website to get the details of how you can participate in the Store Front Challenge, and drop us a line to tell us about a great swan-themed store front you have seen lately.
Energy Conservation, Energy Supply
Apr 13, 2011  Comment

You Asked; We Delivered

Probably the most popular pages on our website are the ones showing the amount of electricity being consumed at any given time on our Mayo-Dawson transmission system and our Whitehorse-Aishihik-Faro grid. We added these charts last year as a way of showing you the demand on our system and how we meet that demand (whether that be solely with hydro, or with a combination of hydro and diesel). Our hope is that if you see we are having to use diesel to meet the demand, you will try to keep your discretionary energy use to a minimum. We have received tremendous feedback about the usefulness of the charts. However you asked us to add additional information that shows electricity usage over the longer term. I am happy to tell you those extra charts are now on our website. There are now four charts for each transmission grid: one for current consumption, one that covers a 24 hour period, one that covers a week, and one that covers a year. Take a look and let us know what you think. All the charts can be found from this page.
Community Involvement, Energy Supply
Apr 18, 2011  Comment

Forging Business Partnerships

Yukon Energy has been working hard to find new sources of electricity to meet the growing demand. We need to find energy that is affordable, reliable, environmentally responsible, and flexible enough to meet the changing needs of the territory. But we can't do it alone. We need input from you. We also need financial investors. One step we've taken to form new business partnerships is to sign a protocol agreement with the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations and the Dakwakädä Development Corporation. The agreement doesn't deal specifically with any one project or initiative. What it does is set out a framework for us to work together on areas of common interest. It outlines shared principles, recognition of interests, and the overall objectives of the three parties. You can read the protocol agreement here. Yukon Energy hopes to sign similar protocol agreements with other local First Nations in the near future.  
Media Releases
Apr 18, 2011  Comment

Yukon Energy; Champagne and Aishihik Strike Protocol Agreement

The Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, the Dakwakädä Development Corporation, and Yukon Energy have signed a protocol agreement. The agreement sets out a framework for the three parties to work together on areas of common interest. It outlines shared principles, recognition of interests, and the overall objectives with regards to working together. The Champagne and Aishihik First Nations have been working with Yukon Energy for some time on specific projects such as the Jarvis River geothermal study. This protocol agreement means the Champagne and Aishihik people will have a more active role in energy development in their traditional territory. It is Yukon Energy’s responsibility to ensure there is an adequate supply of energy for the territory now and into the future. It is interested in forming long-term partnerships with First Nation governments and Development Corporations to help fulfill that mandate. Yukon Energy hopes to sign similar protocol agreements with other local First Nations in the near future. Contact: Janet Patterson Supervisor, Communications Yukon Energy (867) 393-5333 (867) 335-1519 janet.patterson@yec.yk.ca Amy Mckinnon Communications Manager Champagne and Aishihik First Nations (867) 634-4237 almckinnon@cafn.ca Murray Arsenault General Manager Dakwakädä Development Corporation (867) 668-5831 murray@dakwakada.com

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