New Pangnirtung power plant will likely start up next year

A fire over the Easter weekend last year destroyed Pangnirtung’s power plant, leading to a state of emergency. The QEC flew in emergency generators to supply power until a permanent new power plant starts operations in 2017. (FILE PHOTO)

A new power plant in Pangnirtung — to replace the one that burnt down in April 2015 — will likely be built and operating by the spring of 2017.

That’s what the hamlet’s acting senior administrative officer, Lena Qappik, said community members were told by Qulliq Energy Corp. officials during an April 7 community consultation in the Baffin community.

“They came to let the community know what their plans are for 2016 and 2017. They said they’re in the planning stage, but by July they’ll start getting construction materials by sealift,” Qappik said April 8.

All construction materials are expected to arrive during the upcoming sealift season, Qappik said community members were told April 7, and the new plant should be running by March or April of 2017.

“That’s the plan,” a worker at the local power plant told Nunatsiaq News March 8.

QEC officials did not respond to a Nunatsiaq News interview request by press time.

A fire at the local power plant over the 2015 Easter weekend left Pangnirtung residents in the dark and cold, and led the hamlet to declare a 29-day state of emergency.

That state of emergency was lifted after new generators were flown into the community of 1,500, along with specialized mechanics, who were able to stabilize power supply.

Qappik said April 8 that QEC has been doing a “great job” in providing the community with power for the past year.

“QEC people said [April 7] that the new power plant will be bigger than the old one. There’ll be three generators and one backup emergency generator. And in the future, they’ll install a fourth generator, for when the community grows,” Qappik said.

The QEC’s acting president and CEO Jamie Flaherty was among the energy company officials who made the trip to Pangnirtung for the public consultation, which Qappik said about 40 people attended.

“It was a very good consultation. They made it very clear to people what their plan is,” she said.

But at least one community member, commenting on Facebook, disagreed with Qappik.

“Why have a [consultation] when your plans have already been drawn up and ready to go? Why not consult first where the new one should be?” a Pangnirtung resident wrote.

The QEC told community members it plans to build the new plant on the same site as the old plant, Qappik said.

The charred husk of the old power plant was recently torn down, according to Qappik and pictures on social media.

A worker at the local power plant confirmed that the new power plant will be diesel-generated.