Propylene glycol spill could make Iqaluit government buildings more expensive to heat this winter

Iqaluit’s hospital, aquatic centre, courthouse and college will be more expensive to heat this winter, after a construction accident last week rendered the district heating system connected to these buildings is out of service.

Qulliq Energy Corporation operates the heating system. Qulliq spokesperson Renee Boucher said in a statement to Nunatsiaq News that customers hooked up to it save approximately 10 to 14 per cent on heating costs.

The district heating system works by taking excess heat from the power station’s diesel generators and transfers it to other buildings through pipes filled with a mixture of water and propylene glycol, an odourless chemical that transfers heat well.

Iqaluit will also end up producing additional carbon emissions because the affected buildings will be reliant on diesel as a replacement heat source. Normally, the district heating system displaces one million litres of heating fuel annually, the statement from QEC said.

The district heating system is expected to be shut down for several months, after one of its pipes broke near the hospital on Nov. 30.

A worker accidentally punctured the pipe while drilling into the ground for a sewer project, city spokesperson Aleksey Cameron said.

Between 22,000 to 33,000 litres of a mix of half propylene glycol and half water spilled, according to the QEC. Most of the spill was cleaned and stored while the energy corp. estimates 200 to 400 litres were released into the environment.

According to a statement from the city, propylene glycol is “relatively non-toxic to humans and wildlife.”