As we prepare for this upcoming winter, we wanted to provide an update on the noise mitigation solution we are working to implement at the Whitehorse Rapids Diesel Facility.
Our plan is to replace the exhaust silencers on the facility’s four older diesel units with newer, more effective equipment. These older units have been found to be louder than the diesel engines we rent in the winter and the newer engines.
Yukon Energy began the procurement process for the work in April 2026 and selected a contractor in July 2026. Design work is now underway.
While we had hoped for these silencers to be installed before this winter season, the contractor has advised that manufacturing the new silencers will take longer than we had originally anticipated due to high demand for electricity infrastructure and equipment across North America. Installing the silencers also requires taking the diesel units out of service for an extended period. These units provide important backup power during the winter and need to remain available in case they are required to support the grid.
As such, we are planning to install the new silencers after the peak winter period, when electricity demand is lower, and the work can be completed with less risk to the reliability of the power system. We recognize this timeline extends beyond that in our Whitehorse air emissions permit. We have let our regulator, Environment Yukon, know of reasons for the delay and will keep them updated on our progress.
In the meantime, we have installed two new diesel generators at our Whitehorse facility as part of the thermal replacement project. These generators are expected to be available this winter, which should help reduce how often we need to use the older, louder diesel units. The new generators use newer, quieter technology and are located such that they have some shielding from the building that houses the older units, both of which will help to reduce noise heard by Riverdale residents.
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