Local Economic Impact
The WKHPPP project will be built and operated by Crees and Inuit. The new KWREC corporation is owned equally between Crees and Inuit.
- Nimschu Iskudow Inc., the Cree energy corporation owned by Whapmagoostui First Nation, will be in charge of constructing the WKHPPP project.
- Ikayu Energy, the Inuit energy corporation owned by the Nunavik Landholding Corporations Association, will be in charge of the operation & maintenance of the project for 25 years. Most of the construction and operation costs, excluding supplies, will be expended through local contracts for Inuit and Crees.
The main economic impacts are:
- The total project cost is estimated to be around 40,000,000$ of which about 24,000,000 will be returned to the community.
- Around 30 jobs will be created during the construction & study period. KWREC will aim to maximise the number of Cree and Inuit jobs. Already during the study phase, various tasks are being accomplished by Inuit and Crees.
- Three permanents operator jobs will be created. A training program will be proposed for 10 to 20 local candidates to assist these operators with the aim to retain three to four technical assistants.
The project schedule is the following:
2020: Completion of studies & Environmental consultation
2021: Construction of civil works Selection of potential Cree & Inuit Assistant Operators candidates
2022: Construction of electric works and assembly On-Site Training of Assistant Operators candidates
2023: Commissioning and plant operation start On-Site Training and Graduation of Operators.