by Jeff Colbourne
Northern News Services

RANKIN INLET (Aug 20/97) - The NWT Housing Corporation has undertaken a unique initiative to conserve energy throughout the Keewatin and parts of the NWT.

Within the next two years, 33 communities will be shipped hundreds of new refrigerators and hot water tanks to replace old, inefficient ones in many NWT Housing Corporation units.

"It's a win-win situation," said Darrin Nichol, housing manager of the Rankin Inlet Housing Association.

"It'll help us keep our power consumption down somewhat and the tenants get a new appliance."

In Rankin Inlet Meliadine Enterprises was contracted to go into 77 homes this summer, remove the old refrigerators and install new ones. Next summer, another 76 houses will be taken care of.

Over the next two years other communities will be getting their share of new appliances.

Arviat will get 68 hot water tanks and 160 refrigerators, Chesterfield Inlet is getting 27 tanks and 44 refrigerators and Repulse Bay will get 25 tanks and 56 refrigerators.

Whale Cove will have six hot water tanks, Coral Harbour will get nine hot water tanks and 64 fridges and Baker Lake can expect nine hot water tanks and 146 refrigerators.

Nichol said once these appliances are installed, the corporation will be monitoring the consumption of energy to see if any savings are incurred.

It may be a costly endeavour for the Housing Corp. Nichol said, but it hopes to save $1.7 million a year with the new appliances.

At the end of the year residents who have tossed out their old appliances, can be comforted further, knowing that all old appliances will be crated up and shipped out on barge for proper disposal in the south.

Across the entire NWT nearly 2,900 appliances will be distributed in 32 communities within the next two years.