Some residents of Hay River, Enterprise and K'atl'odeeche First Nation are speaking out after two major power outages left many without power for up to eight hours in the midst of a heat wave.
Power failures in the North are a bit more complicated than just no lights or television for a few hours. Janeya Geick lives in the Old Town district of Hay River, where a power failure not only means no air conditioning or fans, but no running water either.
"Our house heats up very quickly which means weSA国际影视传媒檙e all uncomfortable," she said. "Our pets overheat and my two-year-old is unable to nap because sheSA国际影视传媒檚 too warm.
"Our water is trucked in and in a tank. So no power means no access to running water. I donSA国际影视传媒檛 think I need to go into the details but you can imagine how gross it is when you have one toilet and youSA国际影视传媒檙e unable to flush it for seven hours..."
Geick said she was considering stockpiling water and military ready-to-eat (MRE) meals to be prepared for future outages.
Another person posted on social media about food spoiling in his refrigerator due to the loss of power.
Northwest Territories Power Corporation (NTPC) communications manager Doug Prendergast told NNSL Media that there were total power outages in the region on July 30 and Aug. 1.
"All customers in the area were impacted by these outages, although the length of time without power varied by location," he said. "On July 30, the majority of customers had power restored within about an hour but some customers remained without power for up to eight-and-a-half hours.
"On Aug, 1, the majority of customers had power restored within approximately two hours but some were without power for up to nine hours."
Out of necessity, NTPC switched the region's power generation back to diesel on July 29 after shutting down the Taltson hydro power station to complete the finishing touches of a two-year overhaul of the 60-year-old dam. One of the diesel generators then malfunctioned, taking 500 kilowatts of generation capacity with it. Once workers were able to establish alternative means of generating electricity, the remaining two diesel generators started to malfunction.
Residents were asked to unplug appliances on July 30 during a heat wave as NTPC struggled to get the generators back online.
Problems continue to plague the power corporation. During the three-week Taltson shut down, it was discovered the dam's surge tank was heavily corroded SA国际影视传媒� the Taltson dam is now shut down indefinitely until the surge tank can be repaired.
Prendergast said the costs of generating power with diesel over hydro is exponentially higher.
"The difference in cost between hydro and diesel generation to power the Taltson Zone, which includes Fort Smith, Fort Resolution, Hay River, Enterprise and KSA国际影视传媒檃tlSA国际影视传媒檕deeche First Nation is approximately $2 million per month," he said. "The primary cost driver is diesel, but there are also some increased costs associated with the need for additional staff to operate the plants and ongoing maintenance on the diesel generators."
NNSL media has followed up with NTPC on what those increased costs will mean for ratepayers in the South Slave region. Prendergast said he was unable to provide an answer.
For some residents, the source of the electricity is less important than how reliable it is.
"Being unable to cook is not great at all," said Geick. "I shouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 have to stock my house with gallon jugs of water and MREs."
