KIMMIRUT, Nvt. — The Nunavut government has declared a state of emergency in Kimmirut after a power outage hit the Baffin Island hamlet two days ago.

Community and Government Services Minister David Joanasie says in a news release that the territory’s emergency management staff are working closely with local officials and other territorial partners to help the community.

The release says the Qulliq Energy Corporation reported a complete community power loss on Thursday, and that only limited backup power generation is available.

A warming centre has been established at the Qaqqalik School.

The Qulliq Energy Corporation has been posting updates on Facebook about the outage, with many of the posts noting the challenges in flying in workers to make repairs.

Environment Canada is forecasting a low temperature on Saturday night of -9 C and a high of Sunday of -5 C.

“We are committed to finding solutions to ensure the safety and security of everyone impacted,” Joanasie said in the government news release.

Joanasie said further in a Facebook post that the government has staff in the hamlet who are making sure generators in buildings are kept running, including the school, water treatment plant, health centre and airport.

A boil-water advisory for Kimmirut was issued Saturday, and the territory is warning residents about the dangers of carbon-monoxide poisoning if using gas stoves, camping stoves or grills for indoor heating.

An update posted to Facebook by the Qulliq Energy Corporation on Saturday afternoon said electricians are making progress on identifying the cause of the outage. It said mechanics have made repairs on an emergency unit, but testing on that unit was waiting for additional crews to arrive from Iqaluit.

An earlier post from the utility warned customers to ensure that stove tops, burners and ovens are turned off, and that no items are left inside them, in order to prevent fires when power is eventually restored.

The state of emergency that was declared Saturday will be in effect for 14 days.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2024.

The Canadian Press