The Alternatives North advocacy group has sent a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney strongly objecting to the Taltson River Hydro Expansion.

The group cites excessive cost, “questionable green credentials” and prioritizing industrial energy needs – primarily to spur mining – over meeting community demands.

Board member Bob Bromley stated that the multi-billion dollar project is ill-timed and misaligned with community and environmental priorities, so it was time to make their views known.

”It was in relation to the nation building projects that were being proposed, and there was a long list of those, and we we were familiar with this one, and we have strong thoughts on what would be much better ways to spend the money than on the Taltson expansion project, so we thought it was appropriate to send our comments in for consideration in the process,” said Bromley, a scientist and former two-term MLA.

“We just know (spending) is now in the billions of dollars, then it’s certainly not very far down the track at all, despite the fact that they’ve probably spent well over $100 million on it. Those billions of dollars (for the whole project) could be spent in much better ways that to support the people and communities of Northwest Territories.”

Bromley said Alternatives North made their similar views known in 2019.

The GNWT has stated the Taltson River Hydro Expansion is part of a large infrastructure project designed to provide a clean energy solution for the mineral-rich Slave Geological Province and support the electrification of communities.

The total cost of the Taltson Hydro expansion project is estimated to be between $2 billion and $3 billion.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in 2021 between the GNWT and all of the First Nations and Metis governments in the area of the proposed expansion making them equal partners in the project.

“As it turns out, large hydro projects, end up flooding a lot of land, and when that happens, a lot of vegetation dies, and through biological activities, the greenhouse gasses that they had stored get released into the atmosphere,” said Bromley.

“Another issue is that the mercury, which has been … stored in the soils, starts to be released as well in a very toxic form for people.”

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As for the argument that having electricity available for future mines, Bromley points to Diavik Diamond Mine’s wind farm, which significantly reduces its reliance on diesel fuel.

That wind farm, the largest of its kind in the NWT, consists of four wind turbines (using blade heaters for winter) with a combined capacity of 9.2 megawatts.

Bromley said delivering power to the mines, “requires very, very costly transmission grids through some of the most remote and difficult terrain in the world to maintain (the lines), so the cost when the power gets delivered to a remote mine site is prohibitive, and that’s why none of the mines have ever signed off on being willing to buy this (Taltson) power, because they know they can generate the power themselves — and much cheaper.”

Alternatives North is also concerned about the financial uncertainty in “the Trump era” with Canada facing some severe tarriffs.

The 44-year-old Taltson Dam is located about 56 kilometres northeast of the Alberta-NWT border. It was built in 1966 to supply hydroelectric power to the former Pine Point lead and zinc mine, which is currently in the development phase of re-opening.

In 2010, a proposed Taltson River dam expansion was switched off when the three large operating diamond mines — Ekati, Diavik, and Snap Lake — were “not exactly keen to buy hydroelectricity” and were reluctant to invest in the project.

Then-premier Floyd Roland told the NWT Assembly: “Recent discussions with the diamond mines clearly indicate that their collective mine life and commitments to buy power cannot, on their own, support financing and construction of the project at this time.”

Minister of Finance and Infrastructure Caroline Wawzonek told CKLB it appears that Ecology North might not appreciate the scope of the expansion project.

“When I read the letter, I guess I would question if they have a fulsome understanding of some of the project fundamentals,” said Wawzonek, who is also Minister Responsible for Northwest Territories Power Corporation.

“There’s no new flooding that is planned … they’re using the existing run of river that right now has excess capacity on it, and installing the generating facilities right at, or adjacent to, the existing structure.”

Wawzonek said there are many benefits to the project, one key item being to connect the North and South Slave grids to provide more resiliency and lessen outages that would trigger diesel-powered generating stations.

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“We have the two hydro systems — Bluefish and Snare — and the north side is subject to the realities of cyclical low water events, but is also located closest to potential new mineral development, particularly critical mineral development,” she said.

“Meanwhile, on the south half of the lake, we have excess capacity — even on the existing system — yet these two systems remain disconnected.”

Wawzonek said if the two grid can’t be linked — connecting roughly 70% of the NWT’s population — then it will delay the GNWT’s plan to reduce carbon emissions, as diesel will be the backup or primary source of electricity.

Wawzonek said the partnering MOU will provide support for Indigenous governments to deal with the legacy of the original project, “which was not a project built on partnership, was not a project built on consultation.”

She continued: “You know, there was flooding. There were realities from that, and they were never really, in the view of the Indigenous governments, dealt with properly or fairly by the then federal government.

Wawzonek said the expansion project is “in a good place” with the new Liberal government.

“They seem to understand … (that) we have a history that we need to deal with before we can move forward. I think they understand what we mean. So, we’re in a good place right now.”

The signatories to the 2021 Memorandum of Understanding in support of the project: The GNWT; Northwest Territory Métis Nation (which includes the Fort Resolution Métis Government, Fort Smith Métis Council and Hay River Métis Government Council); and the Akaitcho Dene First Nations (which includes the Łutsel K’e Dene First Nation, Denı́nu Kų́ę́ First Nation, and Yellowknives Dene First Nation).