Chris Windeyer
Northern News Services
Monday, March 12, 2007

IQALUIT - Qulliq Energy Corporation is gearing up for another flurry of activity on its hydroelectric dam project.

The utility will spend between $2 million and $3 million on feasibility studies on four sites around Iqaluit: Qikiqgijaarvik (Jayne's Inlet), Qairuliktuq Qingua (Anna Maria Port) and two sites on the Armshow River at Akulikutaq and Tungatalik.

The hydro power will allow Qulliq to cut out most of the 13 million litres of diesel fuel it uses annually to power Iqaluit.

"This is a significant acceleration," Qulliq president Anne Crawford said on Wednesday. "As we pay (the project's cost) off we stop sending money south."

Close to 30 per cent of Nunavut's diesel consumption occurs in the capital. But Crawford said even with a source of hydro power, Iqaluit's diesel plant won't be going anywhere.

"We will never shut the diesel (plant) down because you always have to have a redundancy," she said.

More than one of the sites will likely be chosen as the Anna Maria Port and Jayne's Inlet sites don't produce enough power on their own to replace the eight to 10 megawatts of power Qulliq's diesel-fired plant currently churns out.

A hydroelectric project would cost at least $150 million to $200 million per site to build and would begin operating in 2011 at the earliest.

Qulliq also has to plan for long-term growth in electrical demand, Crawford said.

"One of our problems is finding the right size of project," she said.

Anna Maria Port is difficult to reach by water, which would require the construction of a 55 to 60-kilometre road to reach the site. Jayne's Inlet is frequented by whales, but is also the best site for a barge dock, said Qulliq's vice president Jamie Flaherty.

"People have already raised concerns" about the whales, Flaherty acknowledged.

The Qikiqgijaarvik site would be a barrier generator that uses a dam to hold back water and release it as needed to produce electricity.

The other three sites would be so-called run-of-river facilities, which rely on natural currents to move the turbine.

Consultants Knight Piesold will conduct seismic and environmental studies this year. Inuit Qaujimjatuqangit studies started last year will continue.

Qulliq also has a pair of public meetings set for March 22 and 23 at Iqaluit's Parish Hall.