Yukon's oldest hydro-generation facility undergoes rebuild

ATCO Electric Yukon is nearing the completion of a multi-year major upgrade to its hydro generation facilities in the Fish Lake area on the western boundary of Whitehorse.

As a young summer labourer, Jay Massie helped clear beaver dams from the creek coming out of Fish Lake.

Now, almost 30 years later, he's the manager of the company and is overseeing the upgrade to the Fish Lake dike, diversion ditches and power plant No. 1.

"This dike was built in the late '40s, so you know, we ... have gotten 60-plus years of use out of it" Massie said.

"But it was time to upgrade and bring it up to current engineered standards and meet the guidelines we have to follow."

About 10 kilometres to the northeast, water from Fish Lake runs through a turbine at the power plant.

Power plant No. 1 began operating in 1950. At one time there were living quarters at the plant because it needed constant maintenance.

Massie says the new plant is more efficient. The plant and turbine generate roughly 16 per cent more power than the old plant, enough for about 250 homes.

The old plant — ATCO's only hydro generation facility in Yukon — was replaced three years ago. Most of the territory's electricity comes from the government-owned Yukon Energy Corporation.

Massie says ATCO would like see its diesel plants in Watson Lake, Old Crow, Beaver Creek and Burwash/Destruction Bay switch to renewable sources.

"Unfortunately this power plant is where it is, it's not going to serve those isolated communities," said Massie.

"But we're going to work with those communities, First Nation governments, see what we can do in those communities."

Massie said the Whitehorse upgrade cost in the $7- to $8 million dollar range, and should be all done by the end of this month.