Is it the Mines?

Question: I bet we wouldn’t be in this mess if it weren’t for the mines demanding so much electricity, am I right?

Actually, one reason we’ve been able to keep rates low for so long for everyone else in the territory is because of our mining customers. When the Minto mine came on line, for instance, we were able to sell it excess power and lower rates for residential and small business customers by 2.47 percent.  Having the Alexco mine become a customer a couple of years ago helped us avoid asking for rate increases at that time.

Remember too that there's a growing demand for electricity in all sectors, including residential. The Whistlebend sub-division, for example, will require as much electricity as two Minto mines—and if all those homes are electrically heated, they’ll need as much electricity as three Minto mines.

In the commercial and government sectors, even a single major development like the Canada Games Centre or a big-box store requires a substantial amount of power.  

Rate increases now will allow us to provide a secure electricity future for all Yukon customers — residential, commercial, industrial and government.