Yukon Energy has had to rely on diesel generation during the cold snap in recent weeks to meet peak demand on both electrical grids.

Janet Patterson, the publicly owned corporation's spokeswoman, said Wednesday the diesels are being used on the Whitehorse-Aishihik-Faro (WAF) grid through the morning breakfast periods and evening dinner time hours .

This morning, for instance, the Whitehorse and Aishihik dams were pumping out 56.6 megawatts of hydroelectricity, while demand peaked at 57.3 megawatts, according to Yukon Energy records.

But the diesels have been running 24 hours a day in Dawson to help supply the Mayo-Dawson City grid where recent demand with the addition of the Bellekeno Mine in Keno City has been regularly higher than the hydro capacity, she explained.

So far this winter, Patterson pointed out, 362,000 litres of diesel fuel have been consumed on the northern grid compared to 121,000 litres on the WAF grid.

She said the situation highlights the benefits that will arise from the addition of the Mayo B hydro facility currently under construction and the pending connection of the two grids.

The existing Mayo dam has a generating capacity of five megawatts, while demand on the grid has been peaking at 6.5 megawatts, including the supply to the mine which draws up to a maximum of 1.5 megawatts, she said.

Compounding matters, Patterson explained, was the need to reduce generation at the Mayo dam by 20 per cent because of flooding concerns showing up in the community. (See story below.)

Patterson pointed out the addition of Mayo B will raise total capacity at Mayo to 15 megawatts, though normal operating capacity will range from 10 to 13 megawatts.

In 2008, the WAF grid burned up 335,000 litres, compared to 577,000 last year, half of which were consumed in the last three months during cold temperatures, records indicate.

Patterson said Yukon Energy officials are estimating the southern grid will have gone through 340,000 litres by the end of the year.

The Mayo-Dawson grid consumed 119,000 litres in 2008 and 138,500 last year.

It's expected the total consumption of diesel on the northern grid will hit 550,000 litres by the end of the year, Patterson explained.

She said 550,000 litres are the equivalent of 12 B-train, transport trucks full of fuel.