To safely complete the Callison Substation Upgrade Project, we will be running our diesel generators in downtown Dawson City from July 4 to August 4, 2023.*
*Update as of September 20, 2023:
Dawson is now re-connected to the main grid. However, during the upgrades a piece of equipment broke. We are now in the final stages of the repairs, but will need to run our diesel generators temporarily, between September 26 and 28 and October 3 and 4.
Demand for electricity in Dawson City is growing. As the second-fastest-growing community in the Yukon, the addition of people, homes and community infrastructure are all contributing factors to an increasing demand for electricity. This, coupled with the switch from propane and diesel to electricity for heating and transportation, means we could see demand for electricity in Dawson double in the next five years. To provide Dawson with the electricity it needs now and in the future, we are upgrading our local electricity system.
Over the next five years, we’ll be working on various projects in Dawson to make sure the grid can handle this increase in electricity demand. These projects include upgrading Dawson’s distribution system and replacing end-of-life equipment at the Callison substation, referred to as the Callison Substation Upgrade Project.
The Callison Substation Upgrade Project consists of upgrading protection and control systems that have reached end-of-life at the substation in Callison. If these protection and control systems fail, it could result in prolonged outages over the winter. There are also other Yukon Energy projects, like moving end-of-life diesel generators from downtown to Callison, that are dependent on this work.
For Dawsonites, long-term benefits of the Callison Substation Upgrade Project include:
To safely complete the Callison Substation Upgrade Project, we need to disconnect Dawson from the main grid. To supply electricity to Dawson during this time, we will need to run our diesel generators downtown between July 4 and August 4, 2023.*
Longer days and warmer temperatures mean that Yukoners use less electricity in the summer compared to the winter. This means we will burn less diesel to keep the lights on, and the risk of a power outage is less severe. We understand that residents and visitors near our downtown plant may hear the diesel generators running and that this may be disruptive to some. However, running the generators is necessary to keep the lights on in Dawson as we complete this work.
We thank you in advance for your understanding.