Letter: Hike in Whitehorse diesel capacity hidden in Yukon Energy’s permit renewal – Yukon News
August 15, 2024
Writer questions Yukon Energy Corporation’s permit renewal
The Yukon Energy Corporation (YEC) is adding 12.85 megawatts of diesel generation capacity to Whitehorse, according to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) 2024-0103. This is an increase of 79 per cent over the current capacity. The public comment period is open now.
In 2019, YEC had proposed a new thermal energy plant in Whitehorse, and the response was overwhelmingly negative, causing YEC’s board to abandon the project. Failing to bring any significant renewables online, YEC has continued expanding “temporary” rental diesel, and is now moving to make it permanent.
YEC’s current permit for diesel-generated electricity for Whitehorse is for 16.15 MW, and the new assessment is for an increase to 29 MW. So instead of building a new diesel facility in Whitehorse, which was not supported, YEC is quietly expanding capacity at their current location, also rejected in 2019.
