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Electricity is produced in the Yukon from hydro power and natural gas.
There are currently 33,100 people living in the Yukon and 1,102 of these people are employed in the energy sector.
The production of natural gas has the potential to increase with the proposed Alaska Highway Pipeline project in affect.
Discover the key energy facts about Yukon.
By the numbers (444KB PDF)
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Natural Gas
The Kotaneelee gas field is the only currently producing gas field in the Yukon.
There are three active wells located at this gas field which produced a total of 7.3 million cubic feet per day.
The Yukon contains an additional eight sedimentary basins with the potential of oil and gas resources.
The potential for these eight basins in natural gas is estimated at 17 trillion cubic feet and oil potential is estimated to be nearly 700 million barrels.
Developed natural gas reserves for Yukon and Northwest Territories combined total 0.4 trillion cubic feet.
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Natural Gas Pipelines
The Duke Energy Gas Transmission Pointed Mountain Pipeline, which runs from the Northwest Territories to British Columbia transports the natural gas produced at the Kotaneelee gas field in the southeast part of the Yukon.
The proposed Alaska Highway Pipeline project would run 30% of its route through the Yukon and will have an estimated throughput of 4.5 to 5.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day.
This project is expected to employ up to 375,000 people in the Yukon and the rest of Canada over a course of 24 years.
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Hydro Power
The Yukon is not connected to the North American power grid; instead, the territory relies on its own systems.
There are three hydro power facilities, with a combined installed capacity of 75 megawatts that produce electricity in the Yukon.
Whitehorse and Aishihik serve about half the communities, and the Mayo/Dawson City system which serves Mayo and Dawson City.
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Wind
There are currently 2 wind turbines in the Yukon which combine to give the territory 0.81 MW of capacity.
The two turbines are located in the Whitehorse area on Haeckel Hill and have capacities of 0.15 MW and 0.66 MW. The smaller of the two turbines created by Bonus Energy was installed in July 1993, while the larger turbine, a Vestas V47-660, came online in the fall of 2000.
Through operating these wind turbines, Yukon Energy is demonstrating that wind power has promise in northern locations. Together, these turbines have the capability of providing clean, renewable energy to 150 homes.
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Thermal Electricity Generation
Diesel-fuelled generators, which are only used as back up, provide the Yukon with an additional 39 megawatts of installed capacity.
