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

Community Involvement
Feb 23, 2009  Comment

Second Life for First Aid Supplies

Today we want to give a shout-out to the St. John's Ambulance Brigade in Whitehorse. Its volunteers do a great job of providing first aid services at community events. Last week we were able to help them out by donating several boxes of first aid supplies that they can use for training purposes. Yukon Occupational Health and Safety regulations require us to keep our first aid supplies up to date. Instead of throwing out our old supplies, we wanted to find another use for them that could benefit the public. The local St. John’s Ambulance Brigade expressed an interest in using the supplies to train their members and we were happy to oblige. For Yukon Energy it’s a win-win situation. All our facilities now have up-to-date first aid kits, and we’ve been able to put the old supplies to good use that will benefit the community as a whole. Photo: Yukon Energy's Jim Petelski with St. John’s Ambulance Brigade Leader Joanne Green, seen with the first aid supplies donated by Yukon Energy Corporation. Click on photo to enlarge the view.

Billing
Feb 23, 2009  1

The “Equalized Rate System” Explained

Today we are tackling a question we have often been asked over the last few months: If I am a Yukon Energy customer, why do I have to pay any rate increases approved for Yukon Electrical Company Ltd? It's a good question! In Yukon, we have what is known as an equalized rate system. That means that no matter where people live (whether they live in a community served by hydro or by diesel) and no matter who provides them with power (Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. or Yukon Energy) residential customers will pay the same rate for their first 1,000 kilowatt hours a month of electricity. Business customers will pay the same rate for their first 2,000 kilowatt hours per month of electricity. If Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. is granted the rate increase it has recently asked for, all Yukoners will see that increase on their bills. If Yukon Energy is granted the rate decrease we have applied for, all Yukoners will see that decrease reflected on their bills. So what's the bottom line for you? Watch for a future posting when we will try to answer that question.
History
Feb 26, 2009  Comment

The History of Power in Yukon

We thought you might be interested in learning about Yukon's electrical history. Here is a brief summary: Early 1900s: The completion of the White Pass and Yukon Railway from Skagway to Whitehorse made it possible to transport the heavy equipment necessary to build hydroelectric facilities. Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. started generating electricity for people in Whitehorse using a wood-fired steam engine. It only supplied power from the time it got dark until about midnight. In the winter, power was also supplied for a short period every morning. 1930s: The introduction of household appliances created a greater demand for electricity in the Whitehorse area. Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. made power available on Monday mornings for washing and on Tuesday mornings for ironing. 1935: Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. began supplying power on a 24-hour basis. 1940s: The construction of the Alaska Highway brought a large influx of U.S. army personnel to Whitehorse. While Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. continued to serve civilians, the army supplied its own power, using diesel generators. When the American army left, it gave the diesels to the Canadian army. 1948: The Northwest Territories Power Commission, a federal Crown Corporation, was established to oversee the construction and operation of power plants in the northern territories.The federal government took on this task in Yukon because it didn’t feel Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. had the financial means to meet the growing demand for electricity in the territory. The agency was later renamed the Northern Canada Power Commission. 1949: Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. started operating a small hydro facility at Fish Lake near Whitehorse. 1951: The Northern Canada Power Commission built the Mayo hydro plant to serve the United Keno Hill Mine in Elsa. 1958: The Northern Canada Power Commission completed and began operating the Whitehorse hydro dam. As a result, power rates decreased by about 16 percent. Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. was sold to an Alberta firm, Canadian Utilities. 1975: The Northern Canada Power Commission built the Aishihik hydro facility to provide additional power to Whitehorse, and to serve the Faro mine. 1980: Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. became a member of the ATCO group of companies, after Alberta-based ATCO took over ownership of Canadian Utilities. 1987: All the Northern Canada Power Commission's assets in Yukon were devolved to the territorial government. The Yukon government formed Yukon Energy to take over these assets. Yukon Energy, in turn, asked the Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. to manage and operate the generating facilities. 1997: Yukon Energy decided not to renew our contract with Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. but instead we opted to operate and manage our own assets. It has been that way ever since, with Yukon Energy being the main producer of power, and Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. being the main distributor.
Power Outage Updates, Reliability
Feb 27, 2009  Comment

Reducing Power Outages

The question we have been asked most often over the last several weeks is: why are there so many power outages? While we can’t address outages related to Yukon Electrical Company Ltd., we will try to give you some understanding of what is occurring at Yukon Energy and what we are doing to reduce the number of outages. We take our responsibility to provide reliable power seriously and like you, we are concerned about the number of outages we’ve experienced lately. While we can’t prevent all outages (Mother Nature has a hand in some of them) there are things we can do and are doing to improve reliability. • We have reviewed our Capital Plan and have put all projects aimed at improving reliability and decreasing outages at the top of our priority list. In 2009, approximately two-thirds of our core capital budget is earmarked for projects related to reliability. We have started working through this list and expect that as a result, we will see significant improvements in our outage numbers. • We are working with Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. to make changes to the transmission and distribution systems, so that if there is an outage, it will affect a smaller geographical area, meaning fewer people will lose power. • When doing future budget planning, we will look at buying new equipment rather than repairing existing infrastructure. That being said, Yukon Energy is very aware of our duty to keep power rates as low as possible and we must find an acceptable balance between reliability and cost to customers. Our plan is already starting to show results. You may recall that last year, there were a series of outages related to our largest Whitehorse hydro unit. That piece of equipment (known as the governor) has been adjusted and we have had no difficulty with the unit since then. We believe we have found a long term solution to this particular problem. A comparison of our power outages elsewhere in Canada shows that while we have more black-outs, they are much shorter in duration than the national average. One of the reasons we have more outages is that since we are a small company, we don’t have the same redundancies built into our system that large southern utilities have; redundancies that prevent some power outages. We can build in those redundancies, and in some cases are doing so, but it takes time and money. This goes back to the challenge of finding a balance between reliability and cost. The reason our outages are shorter than the national average is that we are fortunate to have a diesel back-up system, which most other utilities don’t have. It allows us to bring the power back on fairly quickly (within an hour or two in most cases). We have all heard stories of people in various parts of Southern Canada going several days without power. Luckily that’s something we don’t have to contend with. The bottom line for Yukon Energy is that we are committed to doing better, and we are working as hard as we can to win back your confidence in us.
Reliability
Mar 04, 2009  Comment

Protecting Your Equipment

One of the purposes of this blog is to answer as many of your questions as possible. Here’s a query we received recently from a Yukoner: how do I protect my computer equipment and appliances from damage as a result of a power outage? We always encourage people to take steps to protect their equipment, since utilities are not liable for damaged equipment (not what you want to hear but it is the reality). There are a number of options you can consider. If you want to protect all your electronics, as opposed to just one appliance or piece of equipment, a qualified electrician can install an in-line surge protector. It’s a device that snaps into the home’s electrical panel. It won’t prevent a power outage to the home but it should protect your equipment and appliances. If you are concerned about a single piece of equipment (your computer for example), you can install a UPS system. There are several local stores that supply these systems. We suggest you speak with the store staff about the type of system that would be best for you. You can also consult the manufacturer of your equipment to determine what level of voltage protection you need. When shopping for an electronic device, you should ask whether the equipment has a built-in backup system that prevents program disruption when power is lost briefly. You might also want to look for appliances with backup systems that will "remember" settings when power is interrupted. Standby or portable generators can be used during a power outage. However it’s critical that a certified electrician properly interconnect the standby power system to your existing home wiring. Installing and maintaining a portable generator can cost several thousand dollars. Have a question for us? Please send it along and we will try to answer it to the best of our ability.
General
Mar 04, 2009  Comment

Hiatus

There will be little, if any, activity on this blog for the next two weeks, as the person who maintains this site will be away. Please feel free to submit your questions or comments and they will be posted once the webmistress returns.
Community Involvement
Mar 23, 2009  Comment

A Night in the Museum

No, we are not referring to the 2006 Ben Stiller Hollywood movie! In this case we’re talking about the Dawson City Museum, which is launching a new educational program today. Yukon Energy’s role was to provide the money needed to develop the cirriculum. The initiative will see elementary students from Grades 4 to 6 experiencing the hardships and rewards of the Klondike Gold Rush in a hands-on way. When the students arrive at the museum, they will be jettisoned back in time to 1898. They’ll assume the character of one of the people who came to the Klondike in search of riches. Over two days, they’ll be faced with many of the same choices that the earlier gold seekers had to make, albeit in a safer environment than that of their predecessors. Should they come by the overland route or attempt to scale the Chilkoot? What do they need to be successfully outfitted? Will they fall for a scheme? The students will have to live with the consequences of each choice. A local RCMP officer will be set up at the top of the Chilkoot (the grand staircase in the museum) and will determine whether the students will be allowed in to Yukon. If they haven’t brought all the necessary supplies, they’ll either be turned back or have to make their case with the constabulary as to why they should be let in. Another community volunteer will play the role of the infamous Soapy Smith, who will try to con the students in Skagway (the museum’s Lind Gallery). Yukon Energy chose to be a part of this project for a couple of reasons. First, we have a mandate to give back a percentage of our profits to the communities and people we serve and we take that mandate very seriously. But more specifically, we recognize that an experiential program like this provides an opportunity for students to learn in a way that is much more profound and long-lasting than merely sitting in a classroom. We believe the money we provided for teaching materials will benefit a great number of Yukon children. If you are a teacher and would like your school to become a part of this project, you can contact the Dawson City Museum at (867) 993-5291 //';l[1]='a';l[2]='/';l[3]='';l[26]='"';l[27]=' 97';l[28]=' 99';l[29]=' 46';l[30]=' 109';l[31]=' 117';l[32]=' 101';l[33]=' 115';l[34]=' 117';l[35]=' 109';l[36]=' 110';l[37]=' 111';l[38]=' 115';l[39]=' 119';l[40]=' 97';l[41]=' 100';l[42]=' 64';l[43]=' 110';l[44]=' 110';l[45]=' 97';l[46]=' 109';l[47]=' 108';l[48]=':';l[49]='o';l[50]='t';l[51]='l';l[52]='i';l[53]='a';l[54]='m';l[55]='"';l[56]='=';l[57]='f';l[58]='e';l[59]='r';l[60]='h';l[61]='a ';l[62]='= 0; i=i-1){ if (l.substring(0, 1) == ' ') output += "&#"+unescape(l.substring(1))+";"; else output += unescape(l); } document.getElementById('eeEncEmail_gG0OJhpYFE').innerHTML = output; //]]> .
Billing
Mar 25, 2009  Comment

The Bottom Line

In an earlier posting we talked about the fact that Yukon Energy has asked our regulator, the Yukon Utilities Board (YUB), for a decrease in rates, while Yukon Electrical Ltd. has asked for a rate increase. One of you wrote that the total amount on your electric bill is all that’s really important. Today we’re going to speak about that bottom line. We will try to shed some light on the changes you’ve seen in your power bills over the last several months, and changes that are still to come. A warning that we are going throw a lot of numbers at you, but bear with us … we will try to keep the "head swimming" factor to a minimum. Let’s take an example of a homeowner who uses 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each month (the average usage in Yukon is about 750 kilowatt hours per month). Last July, this person’s bill would have been $132.80, including GST. The Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. asked the Yukon Utilities Board to approve an 11 percent increase in rates. While the YUB considered the request, it approved on an interim basis an increase of five percent, starting on August 1 of last year. Assuming our sample homeowner used the same amount of power in August as in July, their bill increased to $138.60. Then Yukon Energy asked for a rate decrease of 17.8 percent for residential customers using 1,000 kilowatt hours or less a month. While the YUB considered our request, it approved an interim decrease of 3.48 percent, starting December 1, 2008. As a result, our homeowner’s bill decreased to $134.56 starting in December. Again, this is based on 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity used. If the Yukon Utilities Board had approved Yukon Energy’s request for a 17.8 percent decrease, our homeowner would have seen their bill reduced to $116.34 a month. Are you still with us? There’s more as we look beyond the end of 2008! The Rate Stabilization Program is a Yukon government subsidy you will notice on your power bill. The program is scheduled to end in July of this year. If that happens in combination with Yukon Energy’s request for a 17.8 percent decrease and all other rates in effect prior to last December, our homeowner’s bill would be $135.84. The two utilities have announced that the Fuel Adjustment Rider (Rider F) has been reduced to zero for bills starting March 1, 2009, until the Yukon Electrical Company Ltd.‘s final rates are determined. This will save our homeowner $19.53 per month during this period. We are still waiting to learn the final amount that the Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. will be allowed to charge its customers. But based on a recent ruling from the Yukon Utilities Board, the Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. will not receive the full 11 percent increase it asked for. Yukoners should know within a few months what the final numbers will be. It’s important to us that you understand we have no control over what Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. is allowed to charge by the Yukon Utilities Board. We don’t have control over the fate of the Rate Stabilization Fund either. But in the areas we can control, Yukon Energy is doing everything we can to keep electrical rates as low as possible for the greatest number of Yukoners possible. In our next posting we will talk more about the rate changes we have asked our regulator to approve and we’ll explain the rationale behind our request. Note that one of you recently asked what your bill might look like if you used between 1,300 and 1,800 kilowatt hours per month. We will address this issue of "second block" electricity usage in our next posting as well. Please keep those questions coming; we will try to answer each and every one of them.
Billing, Regulatory
Mar 27, 2009  Comment

Our Rate Application Explained

One of the benefits of our new transmission line from Carmacks to Pelly Crossing is that it has allowed us to ask for a rate decrease. Before the line was built, we promised to pass along to Yukoners some of the additional revenue we would receive as a result of gaining a new customer, the Minto mine, through the construction of the Carmacks to Pelly line. That’s why in October of last year we asked our regulator, the Yukon Utilities Board, to approve changes to our rates that would result in an overall saving to Yukoners this year of more than $1.3 million.  We wanted to go further than just passing along revenues from the Minto mine. We wanted to provide the biggest reduction possible to the largest number of Yukoners possible. That’s why we have proposed changes to our rate structure that will reward those who practice energy conservation. Here’s how it works: rates would be substantially reduced by 17.8 percent for a household’s ‘first block’ energy charges; for the first 1,000 kilowatt hours per month of energy used. ‘Second block’ energy charges (energy over 1,000 kilowatt hours a month) would increase, the amount dependant on the amount of energy used. All the added money we would receive from ‘second block’ charges would go to further reducing ‘first block’ rates. Since most households stay within that first block of 1,000 kilowatt hours a month (the average monthly usage is about 750 kilowatt hours) this method would allow more Yukoners to benefit from greater savings. Two tiered rate structures are not new. Similar systems are used by utilities right across the country, and Yukon Energy has had a two-tiered system in place for many years in which the second block is at a higher rate than the first. It was important to us to encourage energy conservation though this application. There is a growing demand for electricity in Yukon. While we are aggressively looking for new renewable power to meet this demand, this process takes time. In the absence of new generation, we face the prospect within a few years of running out of hydro and turning on our diesels. That’s why it’s important to us that we send price signals to encourage energy conservation. Conservation is the cleanest and least expensive way to meet the increase demand for electricity (think of it as building a virtual dam). And it’s easier than you might think…turning the thermostat down one degree saves 400 kilowatt hours per year; washing clothes in cold water saves as much as 720 kilowatt hours. Hanging clothes to dry even half the time saves another 520 kilowatt hours. However if our proposal is approved, there will still be some overall savings for residential customers who use up to about 1,300 kilowatt hours per month. For example, if you use 1,000 kilowatt hours per month you will see a reduction of $22.26 on your bill; if you consume 1,300 kilowatt hours you will still save $1.16 per month. Once you start using more than that, you will have to bear an increase. At 1,400 kilowatt hours a month, you will pay $5.88 more per bill. If you use 1,500 kilowatt hours, you will face increases of $12.91 a month. The Yukon Utilities Board Response In November last last year, the Yukon Utilities Board said it wanted to wait for a future hearing to consider the rate adjustments we have proposed for ‘first block’ and ‘second block’ customers. In the meantime, the Board has ordered us to implement an interim rate reduction of 3.48 percent. The interim rates went into effect on December 1, 2008. The Utilities Board hasn’t said an outright ‘no’ to our request. It’s merely said it doesn’t want to make a decision about our proposal at this time. The oral public hearings for our rate application are set for this coming May. We hope that at that time, the Utilities Board will be open to considering our proposal.
Billing
Apr 07, 2009  Comment

Bill Comparisons

We thought you might find it useful to see how Yukon power bills compare with those in the rest of Canada, and across the North. You can see that we are the least expensive location in the North, and we are on par with a number of southern locations. The blue portion of the chart indicates the average monthly total amount of a customer's bill; the red portion indicates any rate subsidy provided.

General
Apr 06, 2009  Comment

Who Does What?

We understand that it's often difficult for Yukoners to know whether Yukon Energy or the Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. is responsible for a particular area. Here is a map that may help. It shows which communities receive power from us, and which get their electricity through Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. Downloads: yukon_map2009.pdf

News
Apr 14, 2009  Comment

Planning for the Future

Yukon Energy is constantly looking ahead to the future. We know that by 2011, we will likely need a fair bit more renewable energy than we have now (even if no new mines come on stream). If we don't have that extra green power, we'll have to use more diesel to generate electricity. That's something we simply don't want to do. In looking for more renewable energy, our first priority is to get the most we possibly can out of our existing hydro facilities, before we build new ones. As such, we are looking at expanding the existing Mayo hydro plant, a potential project we call Mayo B. No decision has been made at this time to move forward with this proposed project. In February of this year we filed an application to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Board (YESAB). However this filing is just one step in the process. For the last several months we have been consulting with local governments, stakeholders and the public. These consultations will continue. Public involvement is important to help Yukon Energy plan and shape this project and to help YESAB carry out its assessment of potential project effects.  We are also working closely with the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun to reach an Memorandium of Understanding and a Project Agreement. Various permits and government approvals are required and the project needs a new or revised water licence from the Yukon Water Board. Yukon Energy has also committed to taking all projects worth more than $3 million to our regulator, the Yukon Utilities Board, for review. The proposed Mayo B project involves building a new powerhouse about three kilometres downstream from the existing powerhouse. This would double the amount of energy that can be generated from the Mayo River. No changes would be required at Wareham Lake or to the Wareham dam. The current plan is to maintain the existing powerhouse for use as required in the future.  A major part of the Mayo B project would be the construction of a mechanism to divert water from the existing intake to a new powerhouse. Possible options include building a canal or an underground tunnel to carry water to the new building. You can find more details about this project here and here, or you are welcome to contact us for further information.
Media Releases
Feb 23, 2009  Comment

Yukon Energy Donates First Aid Supplies for Training

Yukon Energy has donated several boxes of first aid supplies to the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade in Whitehorse. The supplies will be used by the brigade for training purposes. “Safety is paramount at Yukon Energy and we comply with Yukon Occupational Health and Safety regulations that require us to keep our first aid supplies up to date,” Yukon Energy spokesperson Janet Patterson said. “Instead of throwing out our old supplies, we wanted to find another use for them that could benefit the public. The local St. John’s Ambulance Brigade expressed an interest in using the supplies to train their members, and we were happy to oblige.” The brigade is made up of volunteers who provide first aid services at sporting and other community events in Whitehorse. “It’s important that our members learn first aid using the same type of products they have access to in the field,” Brigade Leader Joanne Green said. “Yukon Energy’s generous donation will help our members stay current in their training.” “For us it’s a win-win situation,” Patterson added. “Our facilities now have up to date first aid kits and we’ve been able to put the old supplies to good use; one that will benefit the community as a whole.” Contact: Janet Patterson Supervisor, Communications Yukon Energy Corporation (867) 393-5333 janet.patterson@yec.yk.ca  

Media Releases
Mar 02, 2009  Comment

Yukon Energy Files YESAB Application for Mayo B Project

Yukon Energy has applied to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) for approval of a project that would provide additional clean and renewable power to Yukoners. The project, called Mayo B, would involve building a new powerhouse downstream from the existing Mayo plant. It would roughly double the amount of hydro electricity that can be generated from that facility (going from 5 MW to 10 MW). The project would not require building a new dam or doing anything significant to the existing Wareham dam. “The expansion of the Mayo hydro facility is one of several generation projects that we are considering,” Yukon Energy president David Morrison said. “As Yukon continues to grow, we need more energy to keep up with increasing demands for electricity. It is our goal to produce additional ‘green’ energy in order to avoid using large amounts of diesel, which would be expensive for Yukoners and harmful to the environment.” Mayo B is in keeping with Yukon Energy’s practice of making the best use possible of its existing infrastructure. This project would be an enhancement to the corporation’s existing hydro facility in Mayo. YESAB’s assessment of the project is only one step in moving forward with this initiative. Yukon Energy will also need to seek approval from the Yukon Water Board, and it has committed to taking any projects worth $3 million or more to the Yukon Utilities Board for review. As well, Yukon Energy is working with the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun on reaching a Memorandum of Understanding, followed by a Project Agreement. “We believe we are close to finalizing an MOU with the First Nation,” Morrison said. “We are committed to continuing to work closely with the Nacho Nyak Dun, the Village of Mayo and other stakeholders, on this initiative.” “I want to acknowledge that without the considerable support of the Yukon government, we would not be able to advance this project and make it a reality,” Morrison added. “The territorial government is seeking federal funds to help make Mayo B affordable and these efforts are greatly appreciated.” Yukon Energy’s YESAB application can be found here. Contact: Janet Patterson Communications, Yukon Energy Corporation (867) 393-5333 janet.patterson@yec.yk.ca  

Media Releases
Mar 04, 2009  Comment

Yukon Energy Teams Up With Museum on New Educational Program

The Dawson City Museum, in partnership with Yukon Energy, is pleased to announce a new educational program for elementary students in the Yukon. This innovative pilot project will see elementary students from Grades 4-6 experiencing the hardships and rewards of the Gold Rush in a hands on way. Joanna Mazanti, Program Coordinator describes the program. “Children will arrive at the museum only to leave 2009 behind and assume the character of one of the many people who came to the Klondike in search of riches. They will be faced with the same choices, albeit in a safer environment than their predecessors were.” “Will they come by the overland route or attempt to scale the Chilkoot? Will they be successfully outfitted? Will they fall for a scheme? Each choice made by the children will have real consequences,” Mazanti said. “This program will help students gain problem solving skills and give the children a unique perspective on the Gold Rush - one that I hope values cultural and socio-economic differences between individuals, perseverance, and ingenuity. And of course, as the title suggests, they will spend one night in the Dawson Museum,” added Mazanti. “When officials from the museum approached us about being a part of this project, we were intrigued,” Yukon Energy spokesperson Janet Patterson said. “We recognized that an experiential program like this provides a wonderful opportunity for students to gain an in-depth and long lasting understanding of a subject. Yukon Energy believes the money we provided for teaching materials will benefit a great number of Yukon children and we’re delighted that we can be a part of this project.” Laura Mann, Executive Director of the Dawson City Museum is very pleased to have the support of Yukon Energy. “We all know that heritage is important in the Yukon – it is one of the mainstays of our tourism based economy. But I think Yukon Energy has shown a great deal of foresight in knowing that museums are uniquely positioned not only to service the tourism communities, but also to have a profound and lasting effect on our own citizens, particularly children. The Dawson Museum is very committed to developing educational programming for all grade levels in the Yukon. With Yukon Energy’s support, we are able to realize the first of what we intend to be a full roster of programs." The pilot program will take place on March 23 and 24, 2009 with students from Robert Service School in Dawson. Contact:  Joanna Mazanti Museum Program Coordinator (867) 993-5291 ext 23 Janet Patterson Yukon Energy Corporation (867) 393-5333

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