The paradox

Northern communities, in a hydro-electricity producing and exporting region, still dependent on diesel generation and fuel oil.

Nope. Not what you're thinking. But close. Jane George reports for Nunatsiaq News:

Nunavik plays an important role in Quebec’s plans to develop its hydroelectric potential: the rivers of Nunavik hold about 8,000 megawatts of electric power, 25 per cent of Quebec’s current output.

But in Nunavik, oil remains king: diesel power plants in Nunavik’s 14 communities gobble up 25 million litres of oil for their basic needs and they use an additional 28 million litres of oil for their heating houses — and that doesn’t include the 40 million litres of fuel that Xstrata’s Raglan nickel mine consumes for its operations.

“In a sea of renewable and relatively clean hydroelectric power,” Nunavik communities are still using fossil fuel, says Plan Nunavik. “What a paradox!”

The [Plan Nunavik] document points out that the economic development of any region requires transportation and communication links as well as an energy supply — but so far these have bypassed Nunavik, it says.

Manufacturing, tourism, mining, have “all been made impossible because of the lack of accessibility and lack of a reliable, adequate power source, “ it states.

Full article on-line here.