Canadian Rangers arrive in Gjoa Haven after power outage triggers local emergency

Canadian Rangers arrived in Gjoa Haven on the weekend, where a local state of emergency remains in effect after a lengthy power outage last week at the hamlet’s decades-old diesel power plant.

Seven members of the 1st Canadian Rangers Patrol Group arrived Saturday to assist the hamlet after a request for federal government help, public affairs officer Capt. Zoë Dubé said Monday in an email.

“The [Armed Forces] are continuing to evaluate and work with the appropriate emergency management authorities to determine what specific resources will be made available to the territory based on the request for assistance,” she said in the email.

The Rangers are helping distribute potable water and supporting residents affected by the disruption in power and water service as part of Operation Lentus, the Canadian Armed Forces’ domestic disaster response program for emergencies.

Federal Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski authorized the deployment Saturday, acting on a request from the Government of Nunavut after the Hamlet of Gjoa Haven declared a state of local emergency Thursday.

It has been a difficult winter for Gjoa Haven. The community has been under a boil water advisory since Jan. 15, when a pipe connecting its water source to the treatment plant broke.

The power outage began April 8 when a system failure knocked out electricity service across the community, affecting key infrastructure including the water treatment plant, airport and schools, as well as homes in the uptown area, according to Qulliq Energy Corp.

The outage was caused by damage to lines that prevented electricity from being distributed in the community. It was not caused by a lack of power generation, an unsigned QEC email said on Monday.

Blizzards and poor visibility prevented repair crews from safely accessing the damaged line.

Specialized line crews, dispatched from Iqaluit, were unable to land in Gjoa Haven last week due to weather and remained on standby in Taloyoak until conditions improved.

Local operators eventually isolated the damaged section of the feeder line, restoring power to most customers.

By the weekend, QEC confirmed power had been restored to all customers.

Recovery efforts are underway in the hamlet of 1,500 people, with some households reporting frozen pipes.

Hamlet officials have asked residents who are temporarily hosting others to complete billeting forms, and noted reimbursements of $50 per person per night would continue until full services are restored, crediting Nunavut Emergency Management for the support.

Gjoa Haven’s power plant is more than 50 years old. It has exceeded its intended service life and is being replaced, QEC said.

No timeline was provided for completion of a new plant.

Plans to replace the plant have been underway since 2021, when the Gjoa Haven project was estimated to cost more than $36 million as part of a broader territorial infrastructure renewal effort.