The NWT Power Corporation says it won't know how much customers will have to pay to repair a broken generator at its Snare Forks hydroelectric facility until an assessment of the damage is complete.
Because repair costs haven't been assessed, the impact on electricity rates remains uncertain at this time, said Doug Prendergast, communications manager for power corp.
The federal and territorial governments announced $24.6-million to fund turbine and generator upgrades at Snare Fork, 140 km northwest of Yellowknife, on Nov. 14. The funding will cover 75 per cent of the overhaul and the remaining 25 per cent will be borne by power corp. through its capital fund.
The federal and territorial contribution to the upgrades will alleviate some of the costs that would have been borne by power corp. and consequently, ratepayers, said Prendergast.
“The overhaul was already scheduled to occur next year and what we're looking at now is how we can combine making the necessary repairs along with the broad overhaul,” he said.
The power corporation will have more information on precise costs once the damaged unit is disassembled.
“At this point its much too early to have any firm basis on which to try to identify the impact on rates,” he said.