The federal Liberals have given cash to the remote Arctic hamlet of Kugaaruk for a solar array to power a freezer. The small community spends much of the year in darkness, including 35 days without any sun whatsoever..The solar array is part of a $1.3-million project..Kugaaruk, population of about 1,000, is the location of the coldest wind chill ever recorded in Canada, of -79C. On Feb. 16, 2018, the mercury plunged to −51.9C.“A great first step towards sustainable energy in Nunavut with federal funding for regulatory approval of a solar array to power the community freezer that will improve the quality of life for residents of Kugaaruk sand build cleaner, healthier communities,” tweeted federal environment minister Catherine McKenna..The 10-kilowatt system funded by Natural Resources Canada, sits atop the community arena and will eventually provide power to the adjacent freezer through the summer months when it is most expensive to cool, the CBC reported..“We use a lot of power in town, and this is a good thing to start with,” Teddy Apsaktaun, mayor of Kugaaruk, told the CBC.. POLL: Many Albertans say they will ignore Christmas COVID lockdown .The installation is the result of years of planning and the coordination of multiple government and non-profit initiatives..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.TWITTER: Twitter.com/nobby7694
