Energy plan for Nuuk

Today, Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, is supplied with electricity from the hydropower plant in Buksefjorden, which is located 56 km southeast of the city. The hydropower plant utilises Lake Kangerdluarssúngûp Taserssua (Kang) to supply Nuuk with electricity. The electricity demand is growing in Nuuk, because there is still a lot of migration to the city. At the same time, the Greenlandic government’s goal is to change from fossil fuel supply to renewable energies.

Since the hydroelectric power plant’s consumption already exceeds the annual inflow, the water level in the Kang Lake is decreasing. If this development continues, the water reservoir risks being emptied within 5-10 years. The project has investigated options for the long-term energy supply of Nuuk, with a particular focus on whether the hydropower facilities should be expanded, or whether new sources of electricity production such as wind and solar power should be pursued.

The analysis shows that the expansion of hydropower production is very likely to have the lowest electricity supply costs up to 2030. Moreover, it would be advantageous to increase the use of electric heating at the expense of oil heating, while using waste for district heating should be given priority in other Greenlandic cities, where there is scarcity of renewable energy resources.