Whatì residents asked to conserve power on Christmas Day

The Northwest Territories Power Corporation (NTPC) has a request for Whatì, N.W.T., residents on Christmas Day — please limit your power consumption.

Doug Prendergast, a spokesperson for the power corporation, says the community is facing a unique situation.

Cables from the power plant to the distribution system in Whatì have deteriorated, and they won't be replaced until the spring. Prendergast said they were supposed to have the cables replaced before the cold weather set in, but they didn't arrive on time.

He said Christmas is a big day for electricity consumption.

"We want people to enjoy their holiday celebrations," he said, adding "basic conservation measures would be helpful to help reduce the the electricity demand in the community."

That includes, putting off laundry and unplugging any appliances that aren't required as part of celebrations. And, he said, people should consider not plugging in their vehicles until about two hours ahead of driving time.

"We're not telling people not to enjoy their day and do their normal activities, it's just to … pay some extra attention to how much electricity they're using."

Be mindful of others, dress warm

While some homes are equipped with warming mechanisms like wood burning stoves, not all of them do and instead rely on power for heat.

As of Thursday afternoon, the temperature in Whatì was at –37 C, according to Environment Canada. It's set to warm up only slightly to –27 C on Christmas Day.

That's what worries Marie Adele Rabesca, a long-time resident of the community. She hopes community members are mindful of limiting the power they use, especially if it helps protect those without wood burning stoves.

"I think people need to be really cautious and be aware. And because everybody needs heat in their place," Rabesca said.

"I hope people just be patient and do as they' ve been told."

She said people could consider cooking their Christmas meals in advance, that way on Dec. 25, they would just need to warm it up.

Rabesca said in any case, people should be mindful of the chilly temperatures and the possibility of a power disruption or outage.

"I want to see everybody be careful because the weather is very cold," she said. "You need to be dressed up, have good socks on to keep your feet warm, and also your hands and ears. You need to keep the body from frostbite."

Chief Alfonz Nitsiza said this is the first time this has happened in the community that he can remember.

Though he's heard a bit of concern in the community, he said people should just aim to "conserve power as much as you can."