The head of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation says he shares residents’ “frustration” over recent power outages.
“As someone who lives and works in the Northwest Territories, I understand how important reliable power is to daily life – and I want you to know we’re treating this with the seriousness it deserves,” Cory Strang, president and chief executive officer of the power corporation, stated in a Facebook message on Thursday.
Power outages have occurred in several NWT communities in recent months.
Strang said many of those outages have been caused by lightning, adverse weather and downed trees, which are out of the power corporations control.
He said while the frequency of power outages in the NWT is higher than the Canadian average, they tend to be shorter due to local backup systems and rapid response.
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Strang said work the power corporation is taking to reduce outages in the territory includes “stepping up” a vegetation management program, addressing mechanical issues at the Taltson and Snare Falls generating stations and expanding the use of battery storage and backup systems.
He added that the corporation is working to identify the root causes of outages to better determine how to reduce their frequency and impact.
“We know reliability is critical for our customers. It’s critical to us too – and we’re committed to improving it wherever and whenever we can,” he stated.
