Klondike Development Organization (KDO) connected our Dome Road Solar Power Producer to the Yukon’s grid in March 2022 and is now converting sunshine to electricity.

At 199 kW AC the new solar power project generates up to 280 MWh of energy each year, about enough power to satisfy the year-round total electricity needs of roughly 25 Yukon homes. Small by comparison to most IPPs, the size was both a good fit for our non-profit organization’s capacity and for the chosen site at a former municipal landfill. Through a low-cost lease agreement with the City of Dawson, this otherwise unusable brownfield now features a solar electricity generating system that is helping to offset our community’s carbon footprint.

While most of Yukon’s power needs are supplied by hydroelectricity, shoulder and winter seasons in Dawson City can still require the use of generators to meet power demands. During that period (September through May) our small independent power production translates into greenhouse gas offsets of between 91 and 122 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.

In addition to the environmental benefits of the project, this social enterprise model will financially support future community economic development projects . While the first 10 years of operating this infrastructure will be done on a lean cost-recovery basis, the IPP forecasts profits over the long term. As a non-profit organization, any revenues the Klondike Development Organization earns will always be re-invested in local activities such as affordable housing, community research and other projects.  

Building a solar power project required the partnership and support of multiple parties and governments through both the feasibility/development and construction phases. With sincere gratitude, we acknowledge: Government of Canada (Arctic Energy Fund $486,000, Northern REACHE $105,000 over 2 years), Government of Yukon (Innovative Renewable Energy Initiative $83,200, construction, Regional Economic Development Fund $8,500 planning), City of Dawson ($10,000).  KDO sourced commercial financing (CIBC) for the balance of construction costs. KDO would like to thank Yukon Energy Corporation for patiently working through the process with us, and our design and construction contractors, Solvest Inc. for their expertise and dedication in bringing this project to completion.  Local contractors Grenon Enterprises completed earthworks that transformed the brownfield into a usable site.