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10TuesdayMarch242015ByDALICARMICHAELAlmostfourweekstothedayaftertheSnareFallshydroelectricplantrstbrokedownrepairshavebeenmadeanditisonceagainprovidingpowerforthoseintheNorthSlaveregion.ThefacilityreopenedtheafternoonofMar.16allowingtheNorthwestTerritoriesPowerCorporationNTPCtoshutdownthedieselgeneratorsthathadbeentemporarilyproduc-ingelectricityfortheNorthSlavesinceFeb.15whenthebreakwasdiscovered.WewereabletobringthisunitbackonlineafewdaysaheadofschedulethankstothecrewsandexpertscommitmentanddedicationtogettingthisissueresolvedsafelyandquicklysaidEmanuelDaRosapresidentandCEOofNTPC.Idalsoliketothankourcustomersfortheirconservationeffortsduringthistimeithelpedminimizetheamountofdieselused.Acurrentestimateforthecostoftherepairssitsaround505000.Ontopofthatabout40000adaywasneededtopayfordieselfuelforthegeneratorstotallingaround1.6million.EileenHendryaspokespersonfortheNTPCsaidthecompanyandtheGNWTarestillinnego-tiationsastheydeterminehowtocoverthecosts.TheressomediscussionoverwhetheritwouldbecoveredundertheallocatedmoneyfromthewaterfundswhetheritwillcomeoutofouroperatingfundsormaintenancebudgetHendrysaid.BothsidesofthetabletheNTPCandourshareholderaremotivatedtomakesurethatwemitigatetheimpactsonthecustomers.SnareFallshydroplantupandrunningonemonthafterbreakItispossiblethatmoneyfromthe20mil-lionfundborrowedbytheGNWToverthesum-mertoproduceenergywithdieselgenerators-compensatingforlowwaterlevelsintheSnaresystem-couldbeusedtopayfortherepairs.BadbearingscrackedturbinestoblameInvestigatorssaymultipleproblemsiden-tiedwithintheplantledtoitsbreakdown.Earlyreportssaidthatadamagedbearinghadcausedaturbineinthefacilitytofail.Twoweeksagotheplantwaspartiallydewateredatwhichpointinvestigatorsdiscoveredcracksinsomeoftheturbineblades.Thisunusualcompli-cationledtotheextrememeasureofdewateringtheentireplantadifculttaskinwinterastheexcessrunoffcancreateicebuild-upbecominganobstacleforemployeestoworkaround.Duringthisprocessanadditionalbearingwasidentiedforreplacement.TheNTPCshippedthedamagedbearingsandalltheplantssparestoVancouverwheretheywererefurbishedandreturnedtotheplantbyMar.7.Thebearingsaresaidtohaveashelflifeofthreetoveyearsanumberthatcandiminishwhenleftunusedasthematerialsseparateovertime.Thebladeshavealsobeenrepairedandtheunitrealignedandre-watered.Theplantissaidtobefunctioningnormallynow.AcompleteoverhauloftheSnareisbeingscheduledforsometimethisspringwhenelectricitydemandsarelowerandthereislessneedfordieselgeneration.INFRASTRUCTUREHYDROPLANTByDALICARMICHAELWithTJFordyswinatthisweekendssix-dograceinherhometownofFortResolutionthe21year-oldandherteamhavecapturedrstplacefourtimesthisseasonsealingherpositionasoneofthetopracersintheterritory.Inthelastfouryearsshehascon-sistentlyplacedwithinthetopveineachofherraces.Fordyisonlythemostrecentinalineofmusherstoexcelatthesporthergrandfa-therGabrielLaffertyisthepatriarchofanextendedfamilyofdogracers.NowanelderLaffertyenjoyssittingbackandwatchingTJandotherfamilymemberspickupthetraditionproudlylookingonashissonsdaughtersniecesandnephewstrainnewgenerations.IwasatrapperwithdogteamsIgrewupwithdogsLaffertysaid.IgaveupforawhileuntilTJwantedtogetintodogs.IcantrundogsmyselfmyhandsarenogoodnowandmyfeetarenogoodtheyfreezeassoonasIgooutsidenomatterhowwarmitis.ItraintheminthesummerwiththekidsonthequadbutthatsaboutallIdo.FordysaidhergrandfatherinspiredhertostartworkingwithdogsbutitwashercousinDexterLaffertywhotrulytaughthereverythingsheknows.WhenIrststartedmypoppa-Gabriel-wouldhelpmebuthewasstuckintheoldendaysshesaid.Thewayhedidthingsitssodifferentfromnow.Youvegotfasterdogsyouhavetomaintainandtrainthedogsalotmore.WhenFortSmithheldracesforthersttimeinoveradecadethisyearFordywasdisquali-edfordrinkingbeforethecompetition.HerfamilytiescameinhandythenashermotherRamonaFordy-Laffertysdaughter-steppeduptothesledandstilltookrstplace.ThepersonalsetbackforFordywasjustoneofmanylearningcurvesshehascomeacrossinher11yearsofracing.Forherthesportistrulyapassionandshelooksforwardtodevelopingherskillsevenfurtherperhapsevenrunningwith10dogssomeday.Iracetokeepthetraditionaliveitsasportthatsdyingshesaid.TheyusedtouseitfortransportationintheoldendaysandmanIjustloveit.IlovemydogsandwhenIgotafeelformushingIjustneverturnedawayfromit.LaffertysaidheisveryproudofFordyandithasbeenajoywatchinghertalentblossom.Ilikewatchingherracebecauseshessosmallandreallyhealthyandcanhandleasleighreallygoodhesaid.Ithinkonlyonedogcouldpullhershedoesallthepushing.FortResfamilycreatingalegacygenerationsofdogracersPhotosDonJaqueSPORTSRECREATIONDOGMUSHING10-DogRaceResults1.AnthonyBeck21810012.TrevorLizotte22303763.MarkTaylor22600144.RichardBeck22727415.DannyBeaulieu22819726.KirkFabien22827907.DannyBeck22834638.RachelCourtney22840119.RogerBeck231025810.RyanBeck237316411.DaveTurner238288012.JakeRobinson24659916-DogRaceResults1.T.J.Fordy6123732.KirkFabien6342333.AndrewGallop6411054.AnthonyBeck6548805.MelRasmussen6652736.RachelCourtney6708677.SusanFleck6810208.DexterLafferty6834459.RolandCampbell68395710.EricBeck70171611.J.P.Piche70404812.HeatherBeck72162013.ErnieCampbellDidntnish14.KristyCooperDidntnish15.KeithFabienDidntnish16.RockyLaffertyDidntnishFortResDogRaceResultsWinningdogteamracerTJFordygrandfatherGabrielGabbyLaffertyandmomRamonaFordyareallpartofanextendeddogmushingfamilyofwhichLaffertyisthepatriarch.