Its pretty awesome: White River First Nation celebrates new solar farm project

It’s a lot quieter in Beaver Creek these days. For years, the community of around 110 people near the Alaska-Yukon border has relied on noisy diesel generators for its energy needs. But thanks to the White River First Nation’s new $24 million solar energy project, the community has been mostly diesel-free since it became operational in April. “It’s astonishing how quiet it is,” John VanderMeer, a White River member, told APTN News. VanderMeer is also the president of the First Nation’s financial arm, Copper Niisuu Limited Partnership, which led the project. “People who’ve lived there their whole lives, since the ‘60s – there was that constant hum in the background of the diesel generators. And now you walk outside and you hear birds. It’s pretty awesome,” he said. The Saa/Se Solar Project in Beaver Creek, Yukon. The project will replace over 300,000 litres of diesel fuel usage per year. Photo: Copper Niisuu Limited Partnership A gathering celebrating the completion of the Saa/Se Energy Project was held in Beaver Creek on Aug. 11. Its name translates to sun in the Upper Tanana language. VanderMeer said the project is designed to meet 55 per cent of the community’s annual electricity needs, displacing over 300,000 litres of diesel fuel per year. He said the amount of diesel it offsets is the largest of any solar facility in Canada. So far, the facility has achieved 55 consecutive days of diesel-free power. The project also includes battery storage that charges during the day and discharges at night, allowing the community to use solar power around the clock or during cloudy weather. VanderMeer said the battery can also power the community for up to 12 hours in case of an outage. A gathering was held on Aug. 11 to celebrate the completion of the project. Photo: Teresa Vander Meer-Chassé VanderMeer said while diesel will remain as the community’s main electricity source during the colder months, the project will continue to produce solar power. Beyond that, he said, the goal of the project is to promote economic sovereignty. The First Nation signed a 30-year agreement with its power distributor, ATCO Electric, allowing it to sell energy from the project back to ATCO. “We want to start creating our own wealth to be less reliant on the federal government,” he said. “We’re guaranteed income for the next 30 years off of the solar project.” The project was recently nominated for the 2025 British Columbia Engineering Awards. A documentary about the project and White River people is set to be released next year. The project was funded by the territorial and federal governments. Continue Reading