Taltson power plant in N.W.T. still shut down due to forest fire

The Northwest Territories' Taltson hydroelectric power plant is still shut down due to a forest fire. 

The Northwest Territories Power Corporation shut it down around 6:30 p.m. Sunday because the fire was approaching transmission lines. 

Now, Fort Resolution, Fort Smith and Hay River are now relying on back-up diesel power. 

Northwest Territories Power Corporation spokesperson Pam Coulter says the lines had to be shut down for safety reasons.

"If the wires were live and were damaged by fire and hit the ground, they would be a potential danger to all the firefighters on the ground," she said.

"As well as water bombers, if they were to hit a line as they were coming in to drop water, it would have the same effect. It would be like touching an outlet, only it would be the ground that would be live."

Coulter says company workers are helping the department of Environment and Natural Resources fight the fire by doing things like clearing brush.

The company says the three communities will keep using diesel until ENR says it's safe to restart the plant.