Diesels helping meet power needs

Yukon Energy fired up diesel generators for a few hours this morning and Wednesday morning to meet peak demands, and as a matter of routine checks.

Yukon Energy spokeswoman Janet Patterson said today the public utility is now in its regular phase of firing two of the seven Whitehorse diesel generators every day to ensure they’re working properly.

Since they were going to be brought online anyway, it was decided to coincide the startups with the peak demand periods in the morning, she said.

“We do this on a fairly regular basis, especially in this cold,” Patterson said. “We want to make sure when we have to rely on the diesels there is no problem with them.

“We have seven diesels, so we start a couple of them and the next day we start two more.”

Patterson acknowledged the diesels are fired up when peak demand begins reaching peak hydroelectric capacity on the Whitehorse-Aishihik-Faro grid.

This morning’s demand topped out at 60.29 megawatts, or a hair below the 61-megawatt peak supply of the four Whitehorse hydro units and the two Aishihik hydro units.

One of Whitehorse’s older 4.5-megawatt diesel generators was turned on this morning to boost capacity for a couple of hours before and after the 9 a.m. peak, along with a newer 2.5-megawatt generator .

Wednesday morning’s peak demand hit 59.99 megawatts at 9:00.

Patterson pointed out, however, that no diesels were turned on last night when demand peaked at 58.82 megawatts on the WAF system.

One of Dawson City’s five-megawatt generators was fired up this morning, as peak demand reached 4.83 megawatts. The Mayo dam can produce 5.2 megawatts with its two hydro units.

Patterson said because of the different variables involving the operation of each diesel generator, such as size and age, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how much it costs to run a diesel generator for an hour. Dawson’s one megawatt generator consumed 60 litres of fuel during 55 minutes of operation this morning.

CommentsAdd a comment

Harvey.Millwright

Jan 31, 2008 at 2:36 pm

Diesel???

Why don’t we just use coal fired power plants? YEC needs to seriously revisit how they generate power for Yukoners.

Feb 8, 2008 at 4:31 pm

We are still paying for Faro. Their response to your comment would be the same song and dance, NO MONEY! Even though rates continue to rise, funny how that works.

Marie Belley

Feb 12, 2008 at 3:06 pm

It’s about time something is being done about the power supply. During the Dec.power outages and brownouts we lost an $1800.00 refrigerator a new HD t.v. and 3 computer hard drives. Of course it is not a problem with Yukon Electric’s power supply, so eat the expenses yourself.

I am a senior on old age pensions and my husband is also disabled. I don’t know how we will replace these things.

We had power surge protectors as well as backup batteries for the computers which also failed with the power surges, so now what?

Marie Belley

Brian Werlin

Feb 13, 2008 at 1:41 pm

With the mine at Carmacks coming on-line soon, I suspect that our deisels will be running regularly. I further suspect that we residential consumers will have to pick up a diesel surcharge on the mine’s behalf. Why not. As was noted previously, we are still paying for Faro and to top that off, the government felt that consumers, especially those on fixed incomes, didn’t need rate relief any longer. On that point, where was the opposition?

Vlad Petrlak

Feb 18, 2008 at 1:37 pm

burning of diesel fuel to generate electricity in the Yukon is simply atrocious. We have an endless hydro and biofuel potential, but no will to tap it.
To see the endless truckloads of diesel being delivered to and burned in the Yukon is senseless and mind-boggling.

Samson Hartland

Feb 18, 2008 at 4:05 pm

Responding to Brian Werlin’s point about opposition to the phasing out of the Rate Stabilization Fund. I can speak to public opposition that a few of us participated in as part of the Utilities Consumer Group, and the circulation of a petition calling on the Territorial Government to keep the Rate Stabilization Fund. Unfortunately, the 2000+ signatures read into the record by MLA Steve Cardiff fell on deaf ears, as the phasing out started July 1, 2007 & will be completely phased out July of ‘08.

Anthony

Feb 18, 2008 at 7:18 pm

Brian Werlin: On that point, where was the opposition?

My guess is: rolling in the retroactive cash they just voted themselves.

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