Cape Dorset petitions for long-awaited new power plant

South Baffin MLA DavidJoanasietabled a petition in the Nunavut legislature Thursday, fromhis constituents in Cape Dorset, who are frustrated about their long wait for a newpower plant.

The plan to builda new power plant inthe community was approved in 2011, butQulliq Energy has not yet found an appropriatelocation for it.

Joanasietold the legislature yesterday that no new housing has been built in the hamlet, because thenew power plant hasn't been built yet. The current power plant was built in 1964.

Paul Okalik, the minister responsible forQulliqEnergy, told the legislature he's working with the hamlet council.

"We've gotten an update on the site. The site is too small and too steep for a power plant, so we can't use it," he said in Inuktitut."They said they've found another spot so I've asked my colleague to take a look at it again."

Okalik said he'd push to have the power plant built and would ask "to work with the hamlet council again to figure this out."