In reference to our letter to the editor a few weeks ago, the Yukon Conservation Society was corrected as to the exact description of ATCO.
The correction is: ATCO is not an oil company and it is based in Calgary, Alberta, not Edmonton.
Of course, this raises the question of what exactly ATCO is.
According to its website, ATCO has “more than 7,700 employees and approximately $9.8 billion in assets.
“ATCO Group is an Alberta-based worldwide organization of companies comprised of four main business divisions: utilities (pipelines, natural gas and electricity transmission and distribution), energy (power generation and midstream services), industrials (manufacturing, logistics and noise abatement) and technologies (business systems solutions).”
In addition, “ATCO’s 2008 increased revenues of $3,265.6 million, compared to 2007 of $2,901.8 million, were primarily due to increases in ATCO Structures’ operations in South America and Australia, ATCO Frontec, ATCO Power, ATCO Electric and ATCO Gas.”
It would appear that ATCO is a Calgary-based large multinational with diverse operations all over the world.
Let’s compare that with Yukon Energy. According to their website, “Yukon Energy is a publicly owned electrical utility that operates as a business, at arm’s length from the Yukon government.” In addition, “Yukon Energy is regulated by the Business Corporations Act, the Public Utilities Act and the Yukon Water Act. Our headquarters are located near the Whitehorse Rapids hydro plant in Whitehorse, with community offices in Mayo, Faro and Dawson City.”
As Yukoners, who would you rather have owning, and deciding upon, the means of electrical generation and distribution within the territory?
The Yukon Conservation Society supports local, publicly owned, electrical-generating companies from an environmental perspective. A local utility is easier to provide input to, and they have greater knowledge of, and are potentially more sympathetic to, local environmental issues. And a utility owned by the Yukon public has more interest in the long-term sustainability of the Yukon.
Yukon Conservation Society
Energy Committee