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Rationalization means safe, reliable power

Rationalization means safe, reliable power Open letter to Yukoners from the Yukon Electrical Company Ltd.: The Yukon Electrical Company has been providing dedicated service to Yukoners for more than a century and we take this responsibility very serious

Open letter to Yukoners from the Yukon Electrical Company Ltd.:

The Yukon Electrical Company has been providing dedicated service to Yukoners for more than a century and we take this responsibility very seriously.

We also take comments made about our company very seriously.

The Yukon Electrical Company serves 14,900 customers in 19 communities from south of the Yukon border to north of the Arctic Circle, representing approximately 90 per cent of the consumers in the Yukon.

A private, investor-owned utility, Yukon Electrical is a member of the ATCO Group of Companies.

ATCO Group has a worldwide reputation for service excellence to customers. We have globally respected expertise in all aspects of the utility and power generation sectors and we have been doing business not only in the Yukon, but right across the North for many decades.

ATCO has a long history of developing mutually beneficial partnerships with industry, government and especially with First Nations in the North. Our approach is based on trust, commitment, transparency and dedication to executing on the smallest detail.

The history of energy production and distribution in the Yukon has always had a mix of privately owned companies and publicly owned companies. Each of their roles has changed many times over the past century.

As we have done regularly in the past, we are presently in discussions with the Yukon government about the best possible ways to deliver energy to Yukoners. This is not “privatization,” a loaded word used to promote a negative reaction amongst consumers.

There has been absolutely no indication given from the government of the Yukon that the Yukon Energy Corporation is for sale. Likewise, ATCO has no interest in divesting itself of the Yukon Electrical Company.

The word “rationalization” has also been used. Let’s define this term so there can be no further confusion around the nature of our discussions.

We are currently talking with the government about what structure makes the most sense today to deliver safe reliable power in the most cost efficient manner possible.

We operate as integrated utilities in the Yukon and we strongly believe there are cost-saving and efficiency ideas that deserve to be explored. All Yukoners can benefit if this leads to better service and reduced rates.

The people of the Yukon can count on ATCO and the dedicated staff of the Yukon Electrical Company to deliver quality service.

Our commitment spans a century and we plan to be a partner of the Yukon for decades to come.

Jerome Babyn, general manager Yukon Electrical Company Ltd.

Whitehorse