Pangnirtung leaders worry proposed hydro plant will raise local sea levels
Project, eyed for Iqaluit, would help get capital city off diesel
The proposed Iqaluit hydroelectric project, with a 50-metre-high dam and a powerhouse, could be built along the Kuugaluk River. (Photo courtesy of Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corp.)
A $500-million hydro project under development for Iqaluit has opponents in a community that lies approximately 245 kilometres to the northeast of Nunavut’s capital city.
Pangnirtung is 245 kilometres away from the main dam of the proposed Iqaluit hydro plant. (Map created by Nunatsiaq News)
The proposed plant, backed by Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corp., is one of Nunavut’s two federally anointed “major projects,” which means government officials are working to “fast track” it through regulatory approvals.
If approved, the 50-metre-high dam would be built along the Kuugaluk River, about 60 kilometres northeast of Iqaluit, with the goal of it being completed by 2030 – three years sooner than initially estimated.
But leaders in Pangnirtung are concerned that damming the south-flowing Kuugaluk River would cause water levels to rise in their hamlet of about 1,500 people.
Pangnirtung sits along the shore of Pangnirtung Fiord, one of several fiords that make up the northern coast of Cumberland Sound.
In a March letter, the Hamlet of Pangnirtung’s council opposed the project, saying it “exclusively” benefits Iqaluit.
“There will be a potential impact on the residential and commercial buildings and infrastructure of the hamlet close to the waterfront, as well as an old cemetery, which will be affected by potentially higher water levels of the Pangnirtung Fiord because of this project,” the letter reads.
Representatives from Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corp. disagree with this assessment.
“The proposed project would not change the volume of water flowing through the river into Cumberland Sound – it would make the flow more consistent than the seasonally-variable flows we see today,” wrote Jess Puddister, spokesperson for the Qikiqtani Inuit Association-owned Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corp., in an email Friday.
“Therefore, the proposed project is not anticipated to affect local sea levels.”
Regardless, Pangnirtung MLA Johnny Mike expressed displeasure in the legislative assembly in May that the project was advancing the project without consultation with Pangnirtung residents.
“Before the advent of Nunavut we used to have decisions made in the community from outside community,” Mike said. “We have seen this reoccurring this past year.”
In a written response from March, QIA president Olayuk Akesuk called Mike’s statement “inaccurate,” adding that QIA and Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corp. leadership have participated in multiple consultations in Pangnirtung and are planning more.
Since March 2025, Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corp. has hosted a total of six targeted engagement sessions with the Pangnirtung Hunters and Trappers Organization and hamlet council, along with two public town halls, Puddister said.
“You have an opportunity to shape this project and to guide how your community could benefit from a project that stands to see millions of dollars invested in community priorities,” Akesuk said.
The federal government is expected to provide most of the funding for the proposed hydro plant and has already allocated $26 million for studies.
If completed, it would be the territory’s first hydroelectric plant. It is estimated to generate 15 megawatts, more than enough electricity for Iqaluit’s current needs. It would be expected to be operational for approximately 100 years.
I had heard Pang had issues, I thought it had to do with the river and its fiord and fishing and camping in that area. Which I would think is a legit concern. But to say it will impact the water levels in the town… wow.
This is what years of underfunding the Department of Education looks like.
Pang people. You will NOT be heard as it will benefit only Iqaluit and the people who runs Iqaluit wants their big bonuses.
Nunavut has a bad case of crab bucket syndrome.
When you put crabs in a bucket, they all try to climb out at the same time, and they push each other down while doing so. So in the end, no crab escapes the bucket.
This mentality is alive and well in Nunavut, driven by jealousy, resentment, or a scarcity mindset.
Assuming this hydro project only benefits Iqaluit, why would that be reason enough to oppose it?
Cannot neighboring communities to yours improve without it concerning you?
If Pang wants its own hydro, Pang should certainly propose any such project it can.
Qullik and QC should be on board to make it all happen without another project being held hostage.
Pangnirtung residents are right to ask questions and expect meaningful consultation. Even if the technical answer is that the project is not expected to affect local sea levels, people in Pangnirtung still deserve clear explanations, proper engagement, and the opportunity to understand and respond to any potential impacts before decisions are fast-tracked.
Will there be an impact benefit agreement for Pangnirtung? If the community is being asked to accept risks, disruption, or long-term impacts from this project, there should also be clear commitments around local benefits, jobs, training, contracting opportunities, and protections for the community.
Also, where exactly is the $500-million figure coming from? Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corp. has not publicly stated a cost to date of the project, so where is Nunatsiaq getting this?
If Nunavummiut are being asked to support or accept a major infrastructure project, the assumptions behind the cost, funding, schedule, risks, and community benefits should be transparent.