Yukoners May Notice Increased Thermal Usage This Spring

This spring, you may have noticed Yukon Energy using more diesel and LNG to generate electricity than is typical for this time of year.

There are a few reasons for this. However, before we get into them, let’s celebrate that over a 25-year average, over 90% of the electricity we generate comes from renewable sources. This makes the Yukon one of the top jurisdictions in renewable electricity generation in Canada. We use thermal (LNG and diesel) to ensure we have the electricity we need when there aren’t enough renewable resources available, during emergencies and during winter peaks.

This spring, we are using more thermal to generate electricity because:

• There is low water in the Aishihik basin – our main source of winter renewable power. This means Yukon Energy will limit power production from this facility to allow the reservoir to refill, so we have water available for generation in winter 2025-26.
• Two generators at the Aishihik Generating Station (AGS) are offline. AH1 has been offline since October of 2024 and AH2 recently was taken offline due to a bearing-related failure. Both units are expected to be offline until the end of May.
• We’ve had to generate more electricity (and use more water) at our Whitehorse Rapids Generation Station this past winter because of low water levels at Aishihik. This has resulted in lower lake levels in Marsh Lake and less water available for hydro than is typical at this time of year for the Whitehorse Rapids Generating Station.
• We’re completing several maintenance events this spring that will result in a split grid (meaning supplies of power in the north and south can’t be used to support each other). Yukon Energy must do this maintenance work in the spring when water levels are low so that the equipment is ready for this summer. When the grid is split, we need to use thermal generation in the communities (like in Dawson, Mayo and Faro) to meet local electricity demand.

Using thermal resources in the spring isn’t completely uncommon as by their nature, hydro resources in the Yukon are typically lowest at this time of year. We expect these hydro reservoirs to start to refill and for more hydropower to start being generated some time in May when the spring melt (i.e., freshet) happens.