Trades and Technologies: Our Bread and Butter | Friday, February 18, 2011

Skills Canada Yukon is planning another territorial skills competition this April in Whitehorse. As in the past, Yukon Energy will be involved in this event. We think it's an important one for a whole lot of reasons.

Trades and technolgies are absolutely crucial to our business. That's why, in 2006, we started an apprenticeship program for Yukon Energy. It was a way of addressing the shortage of skilled workers in Canada and the challenge of attracting qualified candidates to the North. Perhaps more importantly, it gave us a chance to offer trades training and employment to Yukoners.

Since that time, about a dozen Yukoners have gone through our apprenticeship program in the areas of power systems electrician, powerline technician, and heavy duty equipment technician. Almost all of them continue to work for us now that they have their journey tickets. Two more are in the process of getting their tickets.

We also created a new scholarship a few years ago that was open to Yukon residents entering a trade pre-apprenticeship program or entry level trades program in the following areas:

electrician
powerline technician
electronics technician
heavy duty mechanic
industrial instrument mechanic
millwright (industrial mechanic)
machinist
You can learn more about our scholarship program by going to our website.

We're really looking forward to this year's territorial skills competition, taking place on April 29th at the Whitehorse campus of Yukon College. What's most exciting for us to to have the chance to show young people what can be achieved through trades and technologies. If you're a young person or know someone who is, spread the word. Hope to see you on April 29th. Photo credit: www.archbould.com

Yukon Energy’s Business Plan | Thursday, February 17, 2011

Our 2011 Business Plan is now available for you to read.

Find Us on Facebook | Monday, February 7, 2011

Yukon Energy is now on Facebook!

Hiatus | Thursday, April 8, 2010

Over the next several weeks, there will be few if any blog postings on this web site. The person who maintains this site will be away from the office. Should you have any questions for Yukon Energy, please phone (867) 393-5300 and you will be directed to the most appropriate person, or you can email shelley.dixon@yec.yk.ca.

We thank you for taking the time to read our blog and hope you will return in late May when Yukon Energy will resume regular blogging.

We Have Things Well in Hand | Friday, March 12, 2010

We thought you might be interested in learning more about what Yukon Energy is doing to meet the electrical needs of Yukoners now and into the future. Our latest strategic plan lays out our priorities for the next two years. You can read the full plan here. In a nutshell, here are the four main areas we are focussing on:

Reliable Power
The goal is to reduce the number of controllable outages and make our system more efficient. Two thirds of the core capital budget is being dedicated to reliability improvements for the next five years.

Last One of the Year | Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Here is the final chart of the season for Marsh Lake water levels. The level has just about peaked and will start to recede over the next couple of weeks. Please let us know if you have questions about this chart.

We will resume providing regular water level charts in June 2010.

Our Board Chair’s Salary | Thursday, April 23, 2009

There has been a fair bit of media coverage lately over the issue of the salary of the Chair of our Board of Directors. The accusation is that Mr. Phelps, who also happens to be Chair of our parent company the Yukon Development Corporation (YDC), was paid more than he was allowed in 2008. While we want to set the record straight, we think it might also be helpful to you if we provide an explanation of the relationship betwen YDC and Yukon Energy.

The Yukon Development Corporation is a crown corporation of the Yukon government. Yukon Energy, in turn, is a subsidiary of YDC. While the two of us have a parent/child relationship, we are separate corporations with separate mandates, financial structures and remuneration policies for board members.

There is a salary cap of $38,000 for the Chair of YDC. Mr. Phelps has never been paid above that amount by the Development Corporation. 

As Chair of Yukon Energy, he is paid a separate honoraria for the work he does for us. In 2008 Yukon Energy paid him just over $57,000. This was more than in the past because he did more work for us in 2008 than in previous years. In addition to his regular board meetings, he devoted a large amount of time investigating the viability of geothermal energy in Yukon.

Both corporations are audited each year by the Auditor General, and she has always found our books to be in good standing in this regard.

As you likely know, Yukon is a small jurisdiction and it is not uncommon for the same individual to sit on more than one board. Obviously those individuals are paid for their work on each board from the funds available to that board. Mr. Phelps' situation is no different.

We hope this helps clear up any confusion. If not, feel free to contact us with any questions you might have.

Who Does What? | Monday, April 6, 2009

We understand that it's often difficult for Yukoners to know whether Yukon Energy or the Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. is responsible for a particular area. Here is a map that may help. It shows which communities receive power from us, and which get their electricity through Yukon Electrical Company Ltd.

Downloads:

• yukon_map2009.pdf

Hiatus | Wednesday, March 4, 2009

There will be little if any activity on this blog for the next two weeks, as the person who maintains this site will be away. Please feel free to submit your questions or comments and they will be posted once the webmistress returns.