Yukon害羞草研究所檚 energy minister says Canada害羞草研究所檚 push for more green energy and a net-zero electricity grid should spark renewed interest in connecting the territory害羞草研究所檚 power to British Columbia.

Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources John Streicker says linking the territory害羞草研究所檚 power grid to the south would help with the national move to renewable energy, support the mineral extraction required for green projects, and improve northern energy and Arctic security.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e getting to the moment in time when we will want an electricity grid which stretches from coast to coast to coast. 害羞草研究所� I think that the moment is coming for this 害羞草研究所� it害羞草研究所檚 sort of a nation-building moment. And I think that from the Yukon害羞草研究所檚 perspective, we害羞草研究所檙e very interested,害羞草研究所� Streicker said in an interview.

The idea of a link, originally proposed to span 763 kilometres between Whitehorse and Iskut, B.C., was first floated in 2016 but sat on the shelf after a viability study put the price tag at as much as $1.7 billion.

Two years later, Yukon害羞草研究所檚 then-energy-minister Ranj Pillai 害羞草研究所� now premier 害羞草研究所� mused again about the possibility of connecting to power from B.C.害羞草研究所檚 Site C hydro dam.

The idea appeared to have been resurrected at this year害羞草研究所檚 Western Premiers害羞草研究所� Conference in June, with both Pillai and B.C. Premier David Eby publicly mentioning early conversations.

At the conference, Eby said British Columbia was fortunate to have the ability to support other jurisdictions with its hydro electricity.

害羞草研究所淪o certainly part of the conversation was how do we support each other in sharing our strength?害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淎nd one of those that British Columbia was able to put on the table is if we can find ways to enter ties with, for example, with the Yukon, to support them in their efforts to access more electricity to grow their economy and decarbonize their electrical grid, then that害羞草研究所檚 very good news for everybody.害羞草研究所�

The federal government has set a target of making the country害羞草研究所檚 electricity grid net-zero by 2035.

Canada害羞草研究所檚 grid is already nearly 85 per cent clean, but demand is expected to double by 2050 as things like cars, buses and trains become electric, and homes and buildings switch away from fossil-fuel heating sources.

In Yukon, all but four communities are connected to the same electricity network with about 93 per cent of electricity generated by hydro plants and wind and the remainder from diesel and liquefied natural gas.

Like the rest of the country, the territory害羞草研究所檚 need for electricity is growing as its population expands and people have more interest in greener technology, Streicker said, adding that connecting to B.C. would also help stabilize the system when new mines come on and off the grid.

害羞草研究所淚 think ultimately 害羞草研究所� there害羞草研究所檚 an opportunity for us to sell power,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 not saying that that害羞草研究所檚 where we are today, but we do spill energy in the summer, and we do need energy in the winter. So that may be the type of future that we have.害羞草研究所�

In 2022 Canada released its critical mineral strategy proclaiming minerals the 害羞草研究所渂uilding blocks for the green and digital economy害羞草研究所� while acknowledging 害羞草研究所済aps害羞草研究所� in enabling energy infrastructure, which could be addressed through investments such as expanding transmission lines.

害羞草研究所淥ne of the things that you will need to develop that transition away from fossil fuels is things like copper to help with more electric vehicles, or for transmission lines,害羞草研究所� Streicker said.

害羞草研究所滱nd so you害羞草研究所檒l need some critical minerals, and the Yukon has that potential as well.害羞草研究所�

The pitch comes at a time when British Columbia is also on the hunt for new sources of electricity.

In June, BC Hydro said it was preparing a call for new independent power producers as forecasts suggest the province is going to need enough new power to run 270,000 homes starting as early as 2028.

In a statement, B.C.害羞草研究所檚 Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation said that while the province is open to sharing excess power, the 害羞草研究所減riority is to meet this growing demand at home.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭he possibility of creating a power grid connection between British Columbia and Yukon has long been discussed, however building the transmission infrastructure poses challenges and a potential cost of over $1 billion,害羞草研究所� the statement says. It says the idea will be a topic for the task force in charge of finding new sources of electricity.

The territories are often excluded when it comes to research on the future of Canada害羞草研究所檚 electricity grid.

Brett Dolter, an assistant economics professor at the University of Regina who focuses on climate and energy policy, said studies on how provinces could get to net-zero found that transmission played a key role, particularly when connecting provinces with hydro assets, like B.C., to neighbouring provinces still relying on coal or natural gas.

害羞草研究所淐onnecting provinces together could help get to zero emissions for less cost than if we tried to operate each province as its own little fiefdom, operating only to meet its own domestic needs,害羞草研究所� he said.

The key question, he said, will be if connecting B.C. and Yukon will allow for cheaper electricity.

害羞草研究所淏.C. has been a big exporter of electricity. So they might be looking to this project as an export opportunity. The Yukon would probably be happy if they can boost supply and maybe eliminate the use of some of those diesel generators, which don害羞草研究所檛 run that much, but that害羞草研究所檚 an expensive kind of power generation,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淪o if there害羞草研究所檚 any way that buying B.C. power can offset diesel, I think that the Yukon is going to benefit. And then it害羞草研究所檇 be a further benefit if the Yukon can develop some of these renewables that might feed into B.C.害羞草研究所�

Lynne Couves, program director for the renewables in remote communities program at the Pembina Institute, said while the price tag is significant, the decision to go ahead or not is far from simple and needs to be considered with an eye on the future.

害羞草研究所淲hen we consider long-term benefits of these projects, and the opportunity to electrify and decarbonize across sectors, I think that there害羞草研究所檚 definitely some positives in looking at these numbers in a different way,害羞草研究所� she said.

Couves said the fact that Yukon is not covered under the federal government害羞草研究所檚 recently announced electricity regulations could be an obstacle to accessing funding.

At the same time, conversations around reconciliation, Indigenous rights to self-determination and energy sovereignty are common in the territories, she said.

害羞草研究所淢ore opportunities for Indigenous-owned renewable energy development is really, really important.害羞草研究所�

Streicker said the territory will be promoting the idea of a link as part of its submission to Ottawa from energy roundtables set up around the country.

He said early conversations have taken place with Yukon First Nations governments that have expressed interest in a possible equity stake in this type of infrastructure.

Streicker said the cost of a project has likely grown since the $1.7-billion estimate from seven years ago and would have to include help from the federal government, but he believes the willingness to have the conversation is there.

Along with the benefits around Arctic sovereignty and critical minerals, he said Canadians understand the need for equity in smaller northern communities.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a bit of a sense, for example, that if you害羞草研究所檙e in British Columbia, and you害羞草研究所檙e trying to develop, say, access to internet, you don害羞草研究所檛 give up on small communities just because they害羞草研究所檙e in the north,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淎nd I think there害羞草研究所檚 a similar sort of sense that Canadians have about the territories, and it害羞草研究所檚 just the cost of having a country which has such a broad geography.害羞草研究所�

Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press