Qulliq Energy's plans for a hydroelectric dam near Iqaluit (formerly Frobisher bay), the capital of Nunavut in Canada's Arctic, will move forward this summer with field studies aimed at gathering more detailed information from five potential sites - all within 100km of Iqaluit.
The studies will gauge the flow of water at the five sites, as well as evaluate the environmental impact of a dam – that includes the amount of fish and surrounding wildlife, vegetation, and any archaeological sites in the area. If a hydro dam is built, it could produce about 30MW of electricity, depending on the site.
Iqaluit now uses about 9MW during peak periods, and with a booming population, that number is expected to grow to 25MW by 2035. Right now, that energy is produced by burning 12M litres of fuel in Iqaluit each year. Replacing some of that energy with hydro power would help the environment, and if fuel costs continue to rise, create long-term cost savings.