Fort Simpson hydro experiment taps river power

The Northwest Territories Power Corp. wants to experiment with a new way to generate electricity in Fort Simpson, N.W.T.

The village , whichspends more than $400,000 a year on electricity, is watching the utility's experiment with hydrokinetic turbineson the Mackenzie River.

"Essentially it's a pontoon boat with what looks like a vertical wind turbine suspended below into the water," said Myra Berrub, business and energy development co-ordinator with the power corporation.

The river current creates the power in a manner similar to old water wheels. But a potential problem with the system is that the river can also carry logs and other debris that can clog up the turbines.

A similar turbine was set up last year in the remote community of Ruby, Alaska, along the Yukon River. That project has produced mixed results to date, according to Monty Worthington, energy project manager with the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council.

"Last summer it ran most of the month and didn't have a lot of downtime, although our power output was quite low because we weren't in a very dynamic river environment," Worthington said.

"This year we're in a lot higher energetic environment and I'd say of our first three weeks, our availablity has been less than 50 per cent."

While the N.W.T. Power Corp. still needs to obtain permission from the federal government under the Navigable Waters Protection Act to put turbines into the Mackenzie River, the idea is of interest to officials in the village of about 1,200.

"Fantastic idea, environmentally friendly," said Mitch Gast, a municipal official who is working with the power corporation. "I'm just wondering, you know, how much long-term economic benefit there will be."

In the meantime, Gast said, Fort Simpson is looking at other ways to reduce electricity costs, from using improved light bulbs to making their diesel generators more efficient.