N.W.T. pulls plug on Great Bear hydro project

A $600-million hydro dam and transmission line project planned to supply power to the proposed Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline has been put on hold, N.W.T. Premier Joe Handley told delegates attending the Sahtu General Assembly in DelineThursday.

Plans were to build the dam on the Great Bear River, which drainsinto the Mackenzie River, along with a transmission line to Inuvik, servicing communities and the pipeline along the way.

However pipeline proponent Imperial Oil was not willing to sign a deal to buy the power produced as had been hoped.

Although the project has been placed on the backburner, Handley says it hasn't been taken off the stove.

"The timing may not be right, right now," he said."We've got other priorities. We've got people who've got a lot of questions and given the amount of things we have to deal with, this just isn't one we're prepared to invest more money in right now."

Deline Land Corporation presidentLeroy Andre says it appears Imperial Oil has decided to burn its own gas rather than consider the hydro alternative.

"They don't care who says what or when, and that's what they're going to do, whether hydro is cheaper or not," said Andre.

The premier told the meeting talks are underway regarding amini-hydro project to serve the community of Deline.