Yukon covers full cost of smart thermostats for peak program

Yukon households that join Yukon Energy’s Peak Smart Home program can now have the full cost of smart thermostats and hot water tank controllers covered, as the territory tries to ease pressure on its electricity grid this winter.

The Government of Yukon and Yukon Energy announced the expanded incentives Monday in a joint news release. The program will cover 100 per cent of the purchase and installation cost of the required devices, up to $750 per device type.

Participants also get a $50 sign-up incentive for each device type they enrol, and another $50 per device type each following year. A household that enrols both a thermostat and a hot water tank controller would receive $100 at sign-up. The government said eligible households can receive up to $1,600 when they join, plus an extra $100 a year for continued participation.

The incentives are part of the Dependable Grid Program, which the territory launched this spring to cut peak winter demand, improve affordability and strengthen the reliability of the system. The program targets the coldest and darkest days, when the grid is under the most pressure.

“Every home that participates helps take pressure off the grid when it matters most,” Energy, Mines and Resources Minister Ted Laking said in the release.

The government said expanding Peak Smart is a step it can take now while it develops a Winter Reliable Energy Plan. That plan is to identify the investments, programs and policies needed to increase supply, better manage demand and keep power reliable and affordable over the long term.

Power costs have been a live issue in the territory. We reported last month that Yukon power bills could jump 53 per cent without Ottawa’s help, and the territory’s finances are tight, with a $4.9-million surplus that fell $77 million short of forecast. For other ways to cut heating costs, see our guide to home heating rebates in Canada.

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