Photo: Power outage stops Iqaluit in its tracks

Kids from Nakasuk School in Iqaluit stand in the cold shortly at about 11 a.m. on May 22 after a power outage disrupted classrooms and city functions for a large portion of the day. Parents were forced to pick up their children and businesses and government buildings were at a standstill for hours. Public health offices cancelled appointments, and stayed only open to dispense medication for tuberculosis patients. Passengers arriving in Iqaluit had to claim their baggage outside the airport terminal. Power in the community was restored at around 3:15 p.m. after going out at around 10:30 a.m.. Power has been fully restored to all parts of Iqaluit and to “please continue to conserve power until tomorrow morning,” says Qulliq Power Corp.. “If we all work together, there won’t be any more rotating outages.” As for the cause of the outage: Qulliq said one generator was undergoing maintenance, while a second developed problems. (PHOTO BY DAVID MURPHY)