Energy

Electricity Review

The team tasked with conducting a Review of Electricity Rates, Regulations and Subsidy Programs in the Northwest Territories has delivered their report to the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Chair of the Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee (MECC), Bob McLeod, tabled “Creating A Brighter Future: A Review of Electricity Regulation, Rates and Subsidy Programs in the Northwest Territories” in the Legislative Assembly on November 5, 2009. Read the news release.

The GNWT has released their response to the both the Electricity and Northwest Territories Power Corporation Review. Read the GNWT Response here.

The GNWT will now develop a detailed response to the recommendations contained in the Review Team’s Final Report. Minister McLeod has committed to completing comprehensive response to the Review Team’s recommendations by March 2010. Read the Review Team's Final Report here.

A report has been released by the Electricity Review Team regarding their findings in Phase One of the electricity review. Read the report here.

From the winter of 2008 to 2009, the Government sought input from Northwest Territories residents, Aboriginal Governments and key stakeholders in a Territory-wide discussion on electricity regulation, rates and subsidy programs. Electricity Review Panel

The focus of our discussion was to find answers to key questions concerning the rates, subsidy programs, and regulation of electricity in the Northwest Territories. The discussion reflected the objectives and priorities outlined in the GNWT’s 2007 NWT Energy Plan and 2008 Energy Priorities Framework.

Doug Matthews, Mark Cleveland and Gerry Forest

The Government of the Northwest Territories believes that reliable and affordable energy should be available in all communities; and regulatory processes related to the development and provision of energy in the NWT should be simply structured and as efficient as possible, while maintaining transparency and accountability.

A panel was appointed by the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment to oversee the NWT Electricity Review processes and began work in March 2009. The panel's biographies can be found here. Since then, the Review Team has participated in nine public forums discussing key issues related to electricity.

Forums were held in Inuvik, Fort Simpson, Norman Wells, Yellowknife, Hay River, Fort Smith, Fort Resolution, and Behchoko.

As well, the Review Team participated in a workshop with representatives of 17 non-tax based municipalities conducted by the NWT Association of Communities. Members of the Panel also met with a variety of individual citizens, including MLAs, organization executives, business people and the general public. To date, well over 300 northerners have participated in the review process.

Fact Sheets have been compiled titled:

Backgrounder on Reviews of NWT Electricity
Electricity Rate Design in Canada
Electricity Rates in North America
History of Electricity in the NWT
Policy Direction to Public Utility Boards
Findings of the Robertson Report
Community Residential Electricity Rates

Download the discussion paper on electricity regulation, rates and subsidy programs.

Read the latest Electricity Review News Release in our Media Room.

For more information on the Government’s Review of Electricity Regulations Rates and Subsidy Programs in the Northwest Territories, please contact:

Director of Energy Planning
Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment

  • Phone:(867) 873-7573

  • regular mail:
    c/o the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment
    Government of the Northwest Territories
    PO Box 1320 
    Yellowknife, NT X1A-2L9

  • or in person at:
    Energy Planning Office
    4th floor, Scotia Centre
    #800 5102-50th Ave.
    Yellowknife, NT