Full Speed Ahead | Monday, February 14, 2011

Work on the Mayo B project continues on time and on budget. Here are some of the most recent photos, taken within the last couple of weeks. 1) exterior of new powerhouse; 2) interior of new powerhouse; 3) section of the penstock (large pipe) that will be buried underground and that will carry water from the Mayo River to the new powerhouse three kilometres downstream; and 4) close up of one piece of the penstock. It is being brought up the Alaska Highway one piece at a time on trucks.

The powerhouse is just about finished; the penstock will be installed this spring. The turbines/generators are in production and should arrive in Yukon from China this summer. Mayo B should be in operation late this year or early next.

Learning About the Present With Artifacts From the Past | Friday, February 11, 2011

For the second time in two years, Yukon Energy has teamed up with the Dawson City Museum on a new educational program for Yukon students.

In 2009 we were involved in an innovative pilot project that saw students in grades 4-6 experience the hardships and rewards of the Gold Rush in a hands-on way. The program included the students spending an overnight in the Dawson museum.

This latest initiative brings the museum to the students instead. Museum staff have developed a kit that is delivered right to the classroom. The kit includes museum artifacts that introduce students to six types of simple machines (lever, wedge, pulley, ramp, screw and wheel). Through a series of experiments and observation exercises, the children learn concepts that are covered in the grade 5 science, math and social studies curriculum.

The kit was used recently by a grade 5 class from Robert Service School with great success. The plan now is to make it available to schools throughout Yukon.

Congratulations to the Dawson City Museum staff for a job well done.

For more information about Yukon Energy’s Corporate Contributions program, visit yukonenergy.ca .

Yukon Energy Salutes Hockey Day in Canada | Friday, February 11, 2011

Proud to Play a Supporting Role | Thursday, February 10, 2011

Anyone living in Yukon knows what an incredibly busy week it is here. There are daily events in connection with 'Hockey Day in Canada', the Yukon Quest is well underway, and there are many wonderful films on offer at this year's Available Light Film Festival.

Yukon Energy has been a long time supporter of the film festival and for the past two years we have been a co-presenter with the Yukon Film Society. We're proud to play a supporting role at this event and we'd like to congratulate the organizers for another great festival. See you at the movies!

Each year Yukon Energy sponsors the good work of many non-profit organizations throughout the territory. You can learn more about our corporate contributions program by going to our website.

Taking the ‘Reduced Idling’ Pledge | Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Yukon Energy is spending a lot of time and effort looking for new clean sources of power. At the same time, we're encouraging all Yukoners to conserve energy wherever possible. The less diesel we need to burn to meet the demand for electricity, the smaller the amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

Of course here at Yukon Energy we must walk the walk. For instance we are looking at the efficiencies of all our assets. We are also asking staff to do little things like turning off office lights and computer screens when they are away from their desks. Another way we are trying to get our employees thinking about general energy conservation and improved air quality is to challenge them to keep company vehicle idling to a minimum.

It's good for us all to remember that:

• An idling vehicle produces nearly 20 times more air pollution than the same vehicle travelling 50km/hr.
   
• Excessive idling is not an effective way to warm up your vehicle, even in cold weather. The best way to warm it up is to drive it. In fact with today’s computer-controlled engines, usually no more than two to three minutes of idling is enough warm up time, even on cold days.
   
• Some motorists warm up the engine to the point where the car heater has warmed the interior of the vehicle. On cold days this could take upwards of 10 minutes and will have a significant impact on fuel consumption and emissions. Instead consider using a block heater with a timer to provide about two hours of block heating on cold days before starting your vehicle. This will make the vehicle easier to start and will warm it up faster.
   
• Idling warms only the engine—not the wheel bearings, steering, suspension, transmission and tires. These parts also need to be warmed up, and the only way to do that is to drive the vehicle. Until these parts begin to warm up it’s a good idea to avoid high speeds and rapid acceleration.
   
• At any time of year if you’re going to be stopped for more than 10 seconds, shutting off and restarting your vehicle will actually use less fuel and produce less carbon dioxide compared to leaving your engine running. Idling a vehicle for 10 minutes a day uses an average of 100 litres of gas a year! Every litre of fuel burned will emit at least 2.4 kg of carbon dioxide.
   
• Idling is hard on the vehicle’s engine. Because the vehicle is not working at peak operating temperature, residues and condensation can build up and actually damage the engine’s components, shortening the life of the vehicle and adding to your costs.
   
• There are times and places where some idling may be necessary, such as when you stop for a traffic light. But if we all work together, we can avoid a significant amount of unnecessary idling.

Find Us on Facebook | Monday, February 7, 2011

Yukon Energy is now on Facebook!

How’s Our Lighting Now? | Friday, February 4, 2011

You might recall that a few months ago, in partnership with the Yukon government's Energy Solutions Centre, we installed six LED streetlights in Dawson City. We wanted to find out how they would perform in extreme winter conditions compared to the traditional street lights. Early results are now in, and here's what they're telling us:

•  Light meter readings have shown a consistent level of light for each of the LED streetlights. The level meets international standards for roadway lighting.
   
• The LED streetlights are using 70 percent less energy (on average) than the traditional HPS streetlight.
   
• There have not been any icing or weather related problems with LED streetlight performance.
   
• Public reaction to the LED lights has been positive.
   
• Our results, although preliminary, are consistent with the results from LED pilot projects in other parts of Canada and the U.S.

We've just mailed a survey to Dawson residents to get feedback on the lights. If you live in the Dawson area, we encourage you to send us your comments by the end of this month using the addressed and stamped envelope provided with your survey. For your trouble you'll have a chance to win two LED yard lights.

Yukon Energy will continue to monitor the performance of the LEDs for the rest of the winter. We’ll prepare a final report on the pilot project this summer and will share the results with you on this blog.

Photos: 1) LED street lights at -45 degrees C in Dawson; 2) close-up of one of the streetlights. Photo credit: www.archbould.com

A Few Minutes of Your Time | Thursday, February 3, 2011

Yukon Energy is looking for your input on the direction you think we should take to ensure there is enough clean, affordable and reliable energy to meet current and future demands. There is a new survey on our website that covers a wide variety of energy issues. We encourage you to fill out the survey (it should take you less than five minutes). If you do, you'll have a chance to win a Home Energy Kit, valued at $500.

Watch this blog and our website for the survey results, which will be posted once we've had a chance to compile and analyze all your comments.

Seeking Artists | Wednesday, February 2, 2011

The mild temperatures we've experienced in Whitehorse over the last couple of days remind us that spring isn't that far off. In Yukon, one of the ways we celebrate spring is with a visit to Swan Haven, where we can see the hundreds of trumpeter swans and other waterfowl that stop to feed and rest on their migration northward.

Yukon Energy has been a strong supporter of the Celebration of Swans Festival for many years. Part of that festival involves the creation each year of a collectible poster featuring a local piece of art. The image you see on this page is the 2007 poster, with photography by Dr. Ken Quong. Next Friday, the 11th, is the deadline for artists to submit their entries for this year's poster. We encourage as many people as possible to make a submission. You can learn more by visiting Environment Yukon's website.