HAY RIVER, Northwest Territories (February 23, 2023) The Northwest Territories Power Corporation (NTPC) has announced that the overhaul of the Taltson Hydroelectric Facility will begin in April 2023.
The project will require the Taltson unit to be taken off-line for six months. Electricity customers in Hay River, K’atlodeeche First Nation, Fort Smith, Fort Resolution and Enterprise will receive their primary power from diesel generators during this period. Interruptible electric heat customers in Fort Smith and Fort Resolution will rely on their backup heating systems while Taltson Hydro is offline.
The 18-megawatt Taltson Hydroelectric Facility was built in 1965 to supply electricity to the Pine Point Mine. Since 1986, the facility has provided primary power to communities in the South Slave region. However, the turbine and generator as well as other key components have reached their end-of-life and must be replaced. Refurbishment of the Taltson unit will help ensure that electricity customers have access to renewable and reliable hydro power for the next 50 years.
Despite the higher cost of diesel generation, electricity rates will remain the same during the shutdown. The long-term impact of the overhaul on rates will not be known until NTPC submits its next General Rate Application to the NWT Public Utilities Board.
NTPC is a wholly owned subsidiary of NT Hydro, which in turn is 100 percent owned by the Government of the Northwest Territories.
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“Taltson Hydro has operated reliably, providing renewable electricity to customers for many years. The facility has not required significant capital investment but the time has come to reinvest in this valuable asset.”
Cory Strang, President and CEO
Northwest Territories Power Corporation
Media Contact:
Doug Prendergast, Manager, Communications
Tel: 867-874-5202
Email: dprendergast@ntpc.com