by Nancy Gardiner
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 15/97) - Fort McPherson is a leader in taking waste heat and making something of it.

The hamlet's new heating network cuts down on fossil-fuel emissions and saves the community money. And in the end, the community may end up owning the system.

Through a $985,000 system of pumps and pipes, residual heat is taken off a turbine engine at the NWT Power Corporation plant and distributed to larger buildings in the community.

"The system could be applied to about 30 communities in the Northwest Territories," says Bill Braden, NWT Power Corp. spokesperson, "because they have the combination of centrally-located power plants and large nearby buildings."

Similar systems are already being installed in Spence Bay and Pangnirtung.

In Fort McPherson, it means a 10 per cent saving for customers, a figure that can rise over the years once the system is paid for, says Braden.

The Aadrii District Heating System serves the Annie G. Robert hamlet office and garage, the new Chief Julius school, the swimming pool and Fort McPherson Tent and Canvas Shop.

It works well for Fort McPherson because many of their larger buildings are close together in the downtown core and the diesel plant is centrally-located.

The above-ground pipes were built by Aadrii Ltd., a partnership between the Gwich'in Development Corp. and NWT Power. Aadrii means "the light" and was a name selected by local elders.

"We saw our own heating fuel consumption drop from 4,060 litres in January to 3,150 for the next three months combined," says Greg Toner, manager of the Fort McPherson Tent and Canvas Shop.

The system has been in place since February 1997. It's anticipated to have a 30-year lifespan, with savings from 10 to 25 per cent over that period. Other savings are lower maintenance and operation costs, Braden adds.

The aim is for the community to eventually take it over NWT Power. Customers still have their furnaces as a backup and will likely be needed in the coldest months, says Braden.

However, the system does have its limits.

"The system is not extended to individual homes because most individual homes have forced-air heating," says Braden. "But it is for larger buildings like garages and water treatment plants."

NWT Power expects to recover $10,000 in revenue the first year of its operation in Fort McPherson. And it can avoid 150,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide and other emission blamed for enhancing the greenhouse effect that has been linked with global climate change, Braden estimates.

"It's possible we'll take it over in the next couple of years. We're committed for the next five years, with a loan. Personally, I don't think we have the expertise to take it over any sooner," says Robert Alexie Jr., president of the Gwich'in Development Corp.

"Maybe five or 10 years -- maybe. We'd also like to do other things with NWT Power Corp. It's not the only place, there's other communities we could help out there with getting the information out.

"I hope in 10 years the system will pay for itself. Then the return to the joint-venture, Aadrii Ltd., would be greater, and we hope to pass on the savings to the customer themselves," Alexie said.

"That's their incentive for hookup. Even though they're only getting a five to 10 per cent savings over a 10-year-period, it could be 25 per cent or even greater later on. It also cuts down on repairs of boilers and furnaces. It extends the life of that in-house unit. We look after the repair and maintenance of the whole unit, so if it breaks down, we repair it," says Alexie Jr.