Retired engineer Allan Green hopes to revive the long-dormant mini-hydroelectric plant at Mary’s Harbour, Labrador.
Mary’s Harbour is located on the south coast of Labrador, between Port Hope Simpson in the north and Red Bay in the south. It is home to roughly 100 households.
Green estimates the plant can provide between 15 and 20 per cent of the community’s power needs — about 800,000 kilowatt hours annually
and displace about 270,000 litres of diesel every year.
Hydro confirmed Monday that talks with Green and his company, Mary’s Harbour Hydro, are ongoing, and added, “to date, contract terms, including length of contract, have not been agreed upon.”
Meanwhile, Natural Resources Minister Siobhan Coady has made it clear the province is looking at ways of integrating “alternative energy sources” in order to lower diesel usage.
“The provincial government will continue to explore ways of reducing diesel in isolated communities and to move to energy options using clean technology,” Coady said in a statement to CBC News.
Since 2008, the provincial government has provided $3.5 million to NL Hydro to explore energy alternatives for coastal Labrador, including wind and hydro power.
A coastal wind monitoring program has also been completed, focusing on the communities of Nain, Hopedale, Makkovik, Cartwright and L’Anse-au-Loup.
Coady said the province and Crown Corporation Hydro are working together on a way forward, and community consultations are being planned.
Story courtesy of cbcnews