No trace of diesel along Nunavik community’s waterfront: Hydro-Québec

Hydro-Québec laid out berms along this stream to collect any possible diesel fuel that might have leaked into water following an Aug. 1 spill from its local power plant. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Despite community reports that an Ivujivik power plant diesel spill sent fuel into the local bay, Hydro-Québec contends that its inspections show no trace of diesel along the community’s waterfront.

An Aug. 1 and Aug. 2 spill leaked more than 14,000 litres of fuel from the community’s Hydro-Québec power plant, located on the outskirts of the village of 370, on slightly higher ground than many surrounding homes.

That means much of the fuel flowed downhill, into a local stream which empties into the bay.

Ivujivik is Nunavik’s northernmost community, located where Hudson Bay meets Hudson Strait — an area known for its rich marine life and seabird colonies.

Many Ivujivimmiut fear the diesel has contaminated the natural water system; municipal officials have sent their own samples of water species off for testing, although results have yet to come back.

But Hydro-Québec says its own inspection last week shows no trace of diesel in what’s known as Ivujivik Bay, nor on its banks, the power corporation said Aug.10.

No trace of diesel was even found in the second half of the drainage ditch, said corporation spokesman Christian Garneau — the upper half of which Hydro-Québec crews have been cleaning and decontaminating.

“However, Hydro-Québec has carried out another inspection at low tide to see if any traces can be detected in the bay on the banks,” Garneau said.

The results should be out by the end of the week, he said, and will be shared with the community.

In the meantime, Hydro-Québec continues to clean up the immediate area around the spill, using absorbent materials and pumps equipped with charcoal filters.

The power corporation said it’s too early to determine what caused the spill, although the town’s mayor told Nunatsiaq News last week that the leak appeared to come from a cracked filter on the power plant’s generator.

Hydro-Québec says there are no further issues related to the facility or the event that could have an impact on the electricity service to Ivujivik in the short-term or over the winter months.