Mayo B Hydro Facility and Carmacks-Stewart Transmission Line

The Governments of Canada and Yukon are working together to support a green infrastructure project in the Yukon which includes upgrades to the Mayo B hydro generation facility and completion of the Carmacks-Stewart transmission line. This project has been selected for funding under the new federal Green Infrastructure Fund.

The upgrades to the Mayo hydro facility will involve building a new powerhouse (housing two or three turbines) near the existing plant and a canal and penstock to move water from the existing intake to the new powerhouse. The Mayo B component will increase clean energy generation capacity at the site an additional 5 to 6 MW. The increase in capacity at Mayo is made possible by building the new powerhouse in a location that doubles the elevation drop from Wareham Lake. This doubles the energy that can be obtained from the water flowing through its turbines, without any new dams, reservoirs or new flooding.

The Phase 2 work on the Carmacks-Stewart transmission line will connect Yukon’s two grid systems, the Whitehorse-Aishihik-Faro and Mayo-Dawson grids, and enable Yukon Energy Corporation to use surplus energy throughout a broader geographical area. The total cost for this project is estimated at $160 million, as identified by the Territory. This project is estimated to be ready for construction in 2009 and to be completed by 2013.

Forecasts indicate that without the project, $20 million of diesel will be needed annually by 2012 to meet projected demand, releasing 50,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases. It is expected that the project will reduce forecast diesel generation in 2012 by over 40%. In turn, this will reduce greenhouse gases from energy production by 50% from current levels.

The Government of Canada will provide up to $71 million for this project.

Federal financial support for these infrastructure improvements is conditional on the signing of a contribution agreement with the Yukon government under the Green Infrastructure Fund.

For more information please see the Green Infrastructure Fund backgrounder.