Frequently Asked Questions

During periods of peak electricity demand, we use hydro plus liquefied natural gas (LNG) and diesel to generate the electricity Yukoners need. By participating in the Peak Smart Home program, you will help us to shift peak demand, in turn reducing the amount of diesel we need to use. 

About an hour before peak electricity is expected in the winter, Yukon Energy will remotely turn up thermostats by a degree or two, then turn them down by a couple degrees during the peak. Pre-warming the home before the peak in electricity demand helps keep homes comfortable throughout a Peak Smart event. 
Hot water tank controllers work by avoiding turning the hot water tank on during periods of peak electricity demand, as long as the tank remains above a temperature set by the homeowner (we recommend 50°C). Overall, these changes are small enough that you probably won’t notice, but can add up to make a big impact on the Yukon’s electrical grid.

Before a peak in electricity use is expected, Yukon Energy will remotely adjust your peak-shifting devices.

Typically, thermostats will be increased by 1-2°C for a 1-hour preheat period, followed by a decrease of 1-3°C from the original setpoint during the winter peak (about 2-3 hours) before returning to the original setpoint.

Hot water tank controllers will turn off your hot water tank during periods of peak electricity demand, as long as the tank remains above a temperature that you set (Health Canada recommends setting the minimum temperature threshold to 50°C).

These minor adjustments should have little to no impact on the comfort of your home, but they will make a big difference in shifting peak demand on the grid. You will be notified before each Peak Smart event and you will always be given the option to opt out of an event should you wish. 

As a participant, you will be able to see a leaf icon on the homepage of the NeviWeb app (pictured below). This indicates that you are participating in a Peak Smart event.

You can opt out of Peak Smart events that are already in progress through the NeviWeb app or directly on your Sinopé smart thermostats and/or hot water tank controllers. You will always have control over your devices.

We’ll be sharing updates about the program’s progress with program participants throughout the heating season so you know how your participation is helping to reduce the use of diesel in the winter.

On the day-to-day you will always have full control of your devices. Even during Peak Smart events, when we remotely adjust your device settings, you can always choose to opt out of the Peak Smart event and override its settings.

The Peak Smart events shift energy usage as opposed to reducing it, so your electrical bill should remain about the same as if you weren’t a participant.

Yes, you can opt out of the program at any time. Please get in touch with our team at peaksmart@summerhill.com.

Unfortunately, the Peak Smart Home program is not currently available to renters. If you own and live in a building that includes a separate rental unit, please ensure the following eligibility criteria applies:

• The rental unit has a separate space and/or water heating control system which is not controlled or affected by any devices (e.g. smart thermostat and/or hot water tank controller) that may be installed in your unit.
• Tenants living in the rental unit will not have access to devices installed in your unit.
• Access to the rental unit is not required to install devices in your unit.

If you would like to be notified if the program eligibility expands to include rental units, please complete this form on our website and we will notify you of future Peak Smart programs.

Yes, participating homes need to have an internet connection (including DSL, fiber, or satellite). The devices offered through the program connect either to your WiFi or to a Zigbee hub connected to your router. If you would like to be notified if the program eligibility expands to not require an internet connection, please sign up for our newsletter and we will notify you of future Demand Response programs.

Yes. Utility control of your smart thermostats and hot water tank controllers are central to carrying out demand response events and reducing the use of diesel in the winter through the Peak Smart Home program. However, you will always be in complete control of your thermostats and hot water tank, whether during a demand response event or otherwise. 

Yukoners living in communities outside of Whitehorse that are connected to the main Yukon power grid are eligible and encouraged to register for the program. However, installations for participants in the communities may be later than those in Whitehorse.

Your home does not need to be exclusively heated by electricity to participate in the program, but your primary source of heat must be electricity.

Yes, homes must be regularly occupied throughout most of the winter in order to ensure we are able to reduce peak demand, in a manner that has minimal impact on the comfort of participating homes.

We encourage all homeowners with electric space heating, including air-source heat pumps, to apply to receive thermostats through the program (as well as a hot water tank controller). We’ll work with you to confirm compatibility of your air-source heat pump with the thermostats available through the Peak Smart Home program. We’ll also have questions about your heat pump’s backup heat source. If you have an air-source heat pump and are interested in our Peak Smart Home program, please sign up here and we’ll be in touch to confirm your eligibility and the compatibility of your heating system.

Only existing wall-mounted thermostat(s) that currently control electricity-based space heating appliances (e.g. electric baseboards) are eligible for replacement. During installation, an electrician will complete a walk-through and use their discretion to determine which existing wall-mounted thermostat(s) are eligible for replacement based on suitability and safety. In some cases, thermostats may not be eligible for replacement through the Peak Smart Home program because they are connected to low-wattage heaters that won’t yield enough energy savings during Peak Smart events. Common areas that are likely to have smart thermostat devices excluded from Peak Smart Home may include garages and laundry rooms. The eligibility of a particular thermostat is determined by the contractor on behalf of Yukon Energy. If you have questions about which thermostats would be replaced in your home, please contact us at peaksmart@summerhill.com.

The devices use minimal electricity and should not have an impact on your electricity bill. To connect to the Peak Smart Home system, devices will need to be connected to your wifi or to a Zigbee hub and will use minimal bandwidth.

Installation times will vary based on how many devices will be installed in your home. Most installations will take 30 to 60 minutes.

Installation will all be done by one of the following local subcontractors depending on availability:

• Arcrite Northern Ltd.
• BCD Electric
• Mylner Electric

You will receive a pre-installation checklist once your installation has been scheduled. The checklist will help you gather the information required for a smooth installation prior to the electrician’s arrival (for example, your wifi name and password).

Yes, provided you meet the eligibility criteria and are selected to participate.

Should you wish to remove the devices installed through the Peak Smart pilot program, please email peaksmart@summerhill.com. The electrician team will get in touch with you to schedule the device removal job at no cost.

The new thermostats and hot water tank controllers are from Sinopé, who have sold millions of thermostats and hot water tank controllers, both in-store and in partnership with utilities across Canada. Learn more about Sinopé by visiting their website: sinopetech.com/en/residential/

Yukon Energy Corporation is committed to maintaining the security, confidentiality, and privacy of your personal information. 

When signing up for the program, you will be asked for some personal information, including your name, address and phone number. We will also ask you some basic questions about your home and the ways you heat it. This information is necessary for us to evaluate your eligibility for the program, which devices are best suited for your home, and to schedule the installation of your new devices. Once the devices are installed, we’ll begin collecting data such as temperature setpoints and power consumption. Data will only be collected through the devices and from you, through surveys. This data allows us to ensure the program’s running correctly, with little effect on the comfort of our participants, while learning how to improve our programs moving forward.

As a public utility, personal information collected by Yukon Energy is subject to the Yukon Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (ATIPP) and the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). All data will be securely stored within Canada and we have successfully completed a Privacy Impact Assessment to ensure we’re taking all the right steps to protect your data.

Questions about your general household energy usage may be included during the registration process, or through subsequent participant surveys. Otherwise, the only energy usage data collected is from the devices installed. We will not be monitoring your overall household meter data through this program.

If your contact details change, or if you are planning to relocate, please contact us at peaksmart@summerhill.com.