During a typical winter morning in the Yukon, thousands of people are having a hot shower, brewing their teas and coffees, drying their hair, or frying their bacon – all at the same time. These peak periods can put pressure on our power grid.
Peak Smart was created to shift energy consumption away from these critical times and improve the reliability of the grid when Yukoners need it most.
When you join, you allow Yukon Energy to make small adjustments to the temperature settings of your home’s participating devices – like your thermostat and hot water tank controller – during Peak Smart events. You’re not likely to notice any change to your comfort, but you always have full override control to re-adjust the settings.
With these subtle changes, we can shift energy demand during periods of peak energy usage to avoid the need for additional electricity generation.
That's being Peak Smart.
Peak Smart thermostats are adjusted by less than four degrees, for less than four hours. Why Yukoners love it: "I appreciate the opportunity to be involved. Anything any of us can do either individually or corporately is all to the good for reducing energy consumption and use of fossil fuels." You also have the option to purchase a leak detection cable along with your hot water tank controller. The cable is easy to install and is also eligible for rebates. Why Yukoners love it: "I don't notice the hot water controller at all. It does its job without inconveniencing me."
how we got here
Peak Smart was born out of a two-year residential pilot program, delivered by Yukon Energy with support from ATCO Electric Yukon, Yukon Development Corporation, and Natural Resources Canada. The goal was to shift peak energy demands during the cold winter months using utility-controlled electric baseboard heater thermostats and hot water tank controllers. Hundreds of Yukoners participated, demonstrating their enthusiasm for programs like this, and showing that Peak Smart can reliably reduce the Yukon’s peak demand.
Following the pilot, Yukon Energy launched the Peak Smart Home program as a direct-install initiative, where eligible participants received thermostats and/or hot water tank controllers with leak detection cables at no direct cost. This initial phase of Peak Smart Home closed to the public in April 2024. Now, we’re excited to relaunch Peak Smart Home as a "bring-your-own-device" (BYOD) program! This means Yukoners, including renters, can now receive financial incentives – yes, that’s money in your pocket – for installing eligible thermostats or hot water tank controllers from trusted brands like Sinopé and Mysa.
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