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Outage Preparedness

At Qulliq Energy Corporation (QEC), we are committed to ensuring that safe and reliable power is provided throughout communities in Nunavut. However, we live in an environment where power outages can happen at any time and their duration can be unpredictable. In the event of a power outage, QEC staff work hard to identify the problem and to fix it as quickly as possible.

In Nunavut, power outages have many different causes such as blizzards, windstorms, ice buildup, motor vehicle collisions (snowmobile, ATV or car), or wildlife coming in contact with the electrical system. Power outages can also be caused by issues within the distribution system or at our power plants. In the event of a power outage, you will need to be prepared to help minimize the inconvenience the power outage will cause you, and your household. Please consider the following suggestions when preparing for a power outage.

Before an Outage

  1. Make a power outage plan with everyone in your household.
  2. Have local emergency contact numbers on hand, including local emergency services, QEC’s emergency number (1-867-222-3807) and phone numbers for family and friends.
  3. Always keep one phone in your house that attaches to the wall with a cord. This type of phone will likely still work during a power outage, but a cordless phone (the kind that sits in a recharging base) will not.
  4. Create an emergency power outage kit and ensure that everyone in your household knows where the emergency kit is located. Please click here to find out what you should include in your power outage kit.
  5. Protect electrical equipment by installing protective equipment such as surge protectors.
  6. If someone in your family needs additional medical support, contact your local health center for advice on how to best help them during a power outage.

During an outage

  1. Leave your refrigerator and freezer closed to stop your food from spoiling. Try your best to keep it closed for as long as possible.
  2. Use flashlights during a power outage, they are safer than candles. If you use candles, please exercise caution and do not leave them unattended.
  3. Never use a camp stove or barbecue indoors. Deadly, odourless carbon monoxide gases can build up and harm or kill you.

After an outage

  1. Check your refrigerator and freezer to make sure they have power.
  2. Reset your clocks, automatic timers, and alarms.
  3. Restock your emergency kit with anything you may have used during the power outage.

To download our power outage preparedness brochure, please click here.

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