QEC wants new generators to replace aging stock in 5 communities
Nunavut utility’s $32.4-million plan to replace decades-old generators would result in higher electricity rates
Qulliq Energy Corp. is asking for Government of Nunavut approval to replace aging generators in five communities. In this file photo, a generator is being airlifted to Pangnirtung in 2015 (File photo)
Qulliq Energy Corp. wants approval from the Government of Nunavut to replace generators in five hamlets and the Utility Rates Review Council of Nunavut is asking for public input because the proposal would lead to a rate hike.
Generators in Chesterfield Inlet, Coral Harbour, Kugaaruk, Pond Inlet and Whale Cove will be replaced if the utility’s $32.4-million project is approved by the GN.
They are being proposed to replace aging generators in those communities, but also in anticipation of community growth.
“Each community is growing and [current] generators are not meeting capacity needs of each community,” Joelie Kaernerk, minister responsible for QEC, said in a phone interview.
In Coral Harbour, Kugaaruk, Pond Inlet and Whale Cove, replacements will increase the amount of power that can be generated.
In Coral Harbour, for example, the plan is to replace a 420-kilowatt generator with a higher capacity 720-kilowatt unit. In Chesterfield Inlet, the plan is simply to replace the existing 320-kilowatt generator with another 320-kilowatt unit.
The generator to be replaced in Chesterfield Inlet is 48 years old while Kugaaruk’s is 49 years old, Kaernerk, said.
If the replacement project goes ahead, crews will be dispatched to each hamlet, one by one, with an expected completion before spring 2026, QEC’s proposal said.
The cost of the upgrades will be borne by the utility, Kaernerk said
QEC expects that replacing the five generators would require an additional $2.8 million in annual revenue. That would lead to a territory-wide rate increase of 1.47 cents a kilowatt hour, according to an announcement by the Utility Rates Review Council of Nunavut.
The rates review council advises the minister responsible for QEC about changes in electricity prices, but the minister approves any increase.
Any rate change would take place in the 2026-27 fiscal year, QEC said in its application to the rates review council.
Over the last several years, Qulliq has been upgrading its aging power plants and generators. A 2015 Senate report found 14 of Nunavut’s 25 communities had power plants well past their lifespan.
QEC doesn’t plan on stopping with this proposed project, Kaernerk said.
“In the coming years, there will be more communities that we will be looking into … a new power plant or replacing generators,” he said.
Once generators have been replaced in these five communities, assessments will be made about which other communities should be prioritized for upgrades and replacements, he said.
The rate review council is giving Nunavummiut until Feb. 5 to respond to QEC’s major project permit application.
It’s Crazy to know that some of these Generators are way much older than our fairly new formed territory of NUNAVUT….Goes to show that NUNAVUT is at least 25 years behind…
“The cost of the upgrades will be borne by the utility, Kaernerk said.”
Translation:
The cost of the upgrades will be borne by all utility customers.
Micro-nuclear
Great news…
.
Next step – getting off of diesel generators entirely!
And how? You do know the wind turbines in Sweden drop 50% of their output because they freeze up in the cold. Or over in Scotland where 6 whopper sized diesel generators are used to heat the wind power turbines so they will work in the cold. Both places skyrocketing electricity prices.
Do you have a source for this? All I could find is a Twitter thread that assured me I wouldn’t hear about this in “the mainstream media” before begging readers for donations for some ostensibly anti-science cause.
You need to work on your google-fu, JohnK. Here’s what I found in 30 seconds for Scotland.
https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2023/02/06/dozens-of-giant-turbines-at-scots-windfarms-powered-by-diesel-generators/
> Dozens of giant turbines on Scotland’s windfarms have been powered by diesel generators, the Sunday Mail can reveal. Scottish Power admitted 71 of its windmills were hooked up to the fossil fuel supply after a fault developed on the grid.
> The firm said it was forced to act in order to keep the turbines warm during very cold weather in December. But a whistleblower has told the Sunday Mail the incident is among a number of environmental and health and safety failings.
> He also claimed there had been other technical issues and environmental problems discovered. They include:
– Turbines left operating on half power for long periods due to faulty convertor modules.
– Others in “test mode” where they take rather than contribute electricity to the grid.
– Over 4000 litres of oil leaked from hydraulic units on turbines and sprayed over the countryside.
– Concerns about safety standards and transparency.
The Swedish stuff will require more digging as I don’t speak Swedish and I’m going to have to read between the lines of google translator.
Thanks; I read that one while I was looking …
There is no Swedish source that I can find to cite besides Twitter.
You are dreaming
some of us have heard about talks about getting power from Manitoba. i hope it will be put into action rather than just imagination talk. with EVERYTHING in nunavut constantly going up (cost wise) getting the powerline to nunavut would be the only first and good thing happening to nunavummiut. if government of nunavut cares about its people they’d take this seriously and act quickly to finally really help nunavummiut when its getting really ridiculous trying to live in nunavut. same as calm (delayed) air, us nunavummiut got no choice but to use it so they keep increasing the costs knowing we have no choice.
Don’t forget that Canadian Government only cares about Inuit of Nunavut when it comes to sovereignty, but as soon as they feel it’s not a serious issue, they forget that Nunavut is part of Canada, and is not willing to spend any money on infrastructure, all parties that were and are current government. Nunavut deserves that same infrastructure every province and territory gets and not be seen as a burden.
Infrastructure doesn’t just appear Johnny. It took decades to build the south into what it is, it wasn’t just plopped into their lap.
Oh really I didn’t know that, I mean since we only had 70 years of contact and stuff so I guess I should wait for another 70 years eh
THis should be a no-brainer and nobody should get all bent out of shape about it.
Yes the cost will be borne by the customers.
What else should happen ?
Have we become a society of beggers that only see that someone else has to pay for everything.
Nobody in any kind of business well run would accept to operate with nearly 50 years old equipment.
They might still run properly but they are surely fuel guzzlers compared with the new age equipment and might be one step away from failure and then what ?
You have a grave emergency in the community.
Let`s not play russian roulette with aged equipment.
Thanks
No No and No!
The Federal Government wants Canada to go green. Charging a carbon tax on everything now.
QEC needs to go green, get heat pumps, hydro, wind, solar, ocean currents…. anything but diesel.
No More investing in diesel generators!
You mean ‘this’ federal government. Will the federal government making the decisions on this think the same way?
I was being sarcastic. Folks.
Remote communities’ only viable option for power generation are diesel generators.
They go green (the south) so that it’s less impactful when we can’t. It’s pretty simple.
Holy smokes it is getting almost impossible to own your own home with the much higher expenses to heat and light up your home plus all the property taxes and land lease
I know, I know everyone HATES this idea but it happens everywhere in the world….
Once a small community that has absolutely ZERO economic output becomes a burden on society as a whole might be time to look at amalgamating communities. Yeah, yeah this is a “colonization way of doing things” but you don’t think back in the day Inuit moved together to better support each other (and not forcibly).
Yes I’m evil for suggesting this…
No, you’re not evil at all. The conversation about consolidating communities is one that needs to be had, the same as in other provinces.
It is a generational plan. If we start talking now it’ll still be 20 years before a community can be wound up.
Before consolidation, I propose the Chesterfield Inlet to Arviat corridor, a road that also incorporates Rankin Inlet and Whale Cove.
.
There are many efficiencies to find by constructing that road. It would only be about 50% longer than the Gray’s Bay Road to Nowhere.
I figured it out, housing minister’s plan to recoup all the private homes to use for housing, could also sell about 500 trucks cause we all know that issue.
Personally Id just wait for Russia cause they have a floating Nuclear power plant in the arctic that would solve all our problems utube it.
Wait for Russia to do what?
Don’t forget that Canadian Government only cares about Inuit of Nunavut when it comes to sovereignty, but as soon as they feel it’s not a serious issue, they forget that Nunavut is part of Canada, and is not willing to spend any money on infrastructure, all parties that were and are current government. Nunavut deserves that same infrastructure every province and territory gets and not be seen as a burden.
Whatever happened to K.I.A. and C.I.B. and thye Federal Govt. working together for Manitoba to Kivalliq hydro power back in 2020?
Nukik Corporation is working on the project. It is called the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link. I hear they are making progress but feds need to come up cash to fill the gap.
Not sure if you’ll get a straight answers from the powers that be but this project should be abandoned. QEC and the GN have told KIA how unrealistic and stupid this idea is. Manitoba can’t provide enough power without continued back-up power from diesel generators. It would cost millions and take years to change current power systems to use Manitoba supplied power primarily and use diesel as a secondary source. NU would be a secondary power source customer for Manitoba so down-times/regular power outages are guaranteed. The fed just keep throwing money at this stupid idea to keep KIA happy. It’s a waste of time and money.
Using your logic,
The entire population of 40,000 in Nunavut should be relocated to urban areas in the south considering all municipalities in Nunavut have next to zero economic output other than what is pumped into them by the Federal Government.
Even the bigger municipalities like Iqaluit or Rankin Inlet produce and export next to nothing. The only industries in Nunavut that are economically viable are the mining and fishing industries.
When you think about it, Nunavut’s GDP is $3.5 Billion, of which $2 billion is subsidized by the Canadian tax payers.
Makes perfect sense to me lets do it, lets all be relocated out of here.
I am being sarcastic.
Thank you for stating you are being sarcastic. I almost got all upset for nothin. 🙂
At the price of power we are already paying QEC needs to communicate with the public to let us know why we keep having whole community power outages in Rankin Inlet, 2 today and one earlier this week!!! What is going on, let us know! A 4 day storm is coming tonight
This is funny to me. “Wind Watch” citing The Daily Record.
Renewable energy and NIMBYism … the last truly bipartisan topic.
90 percent of buildings in Nunavut are owned by the GN, and most of the private homeowners power bills are subsidized, quit your constant whining.
are these in addition to the new plants promised for Cambridge, Gjoa, and Igloolik from 2021 to be completed also by 2026?
https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/gn-approves-plans-for-new-power-plants-in-cambridge-bay-gjoa-haven-and-igloolik/
because that means QEC is going to build 3 new plants(i would hope new generators are part of that plan) and another 5 new generators in the next 2 years? that seems overly optimistic for any GN project.