Even if the worst case scenario plays out in Churchill Falls with the wildfire situation, area MHA Perry Trimper says much of the NL Hydro plant can still be operated remotely.
Trimper says there has been no real change in the status of the fire—it is still on the south side of the Churchill River and suppression efforts are continuing.
Trimper says there’s about 40 staff at the Hydro site right now doing shift work, and that is sufficient.
He and the Premier received a demonstration yesterday of how the plant can be operated remotely if need be.
They watched as one of the senior operators in Happy Valley-Goose Bay took control of the plant remotely—doing things such as reallocating power and closing doors.
Labrador is a big land with an even bigger heart. That was clear yesterday when I met with residents of Churchill Falls whose lives are on hold, and those who've opened their homes and hearts since the wildfires began. Thank you to all fighting hard to put these fires out. pic.twitter.com/oWODuZQyAB
— Andrew Furey (@FureyAndrew) June 24, 2024
Meanwhile, Premier Andrew Furey says a meeting with affected families in Happy Valley-Goose Bay was incredibly emotional.
“We had a little get-together, and…in the middle of two conversations two people broke down, one had to leave the room.” Furey says the stress and anxiety people are feeling is real.
Just under a hundred evacuees remain in Happy Valley-Goose Bay from an original influx of 500.