Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement today was regarding the high cost of power for an elderly couple in the community of Tuktoyaktuk with the cost of $1,800.23. Has the NTPC ever investigated whether home meter usage displacement would be desirable in isolated northern communities? This device would relay real time costing to a homeowner at any given time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Minister responsible for Energy, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m responding as the chair of the Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee to the Member’s questions. We are undertaking a number of reviews to look at finding ways to reduce the high cost of electricity in the Northwest Territories. We have received a report from the review panel that looked into electricity rates. There is a review of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation and we are working with the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning to examine and develop the government response.
What is the original rationale for the administration fee attached to 48-hour disconnect notices and is that rationale applicable today?
If I could get the detailed information from the Member with regard to the actual bill we can endeavour to respond to the couple and to provide full answers to the questions once we have the bill in our hands.
On the basis of this couple having to pay this high of a power bill and having people in the communities that work for the Power Corporation on contract, maybe we should really look at seeing if these people are qualified on meter reading. Not only that, I think the Inuvik supervisors of the NTPC should really investigate this problem and actually return somebody’s calls instead of having it be brought up in the House.
Customer service is a very important priority for our government, so in all cases we’re working very hard to fulfill the needs of the clients. I will take the information and we’ll make sure that somebody responds very quickly to the clients.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Jacobson.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, these elders in the communities are probably not the only ones that are going through this in the communities of Tuk and the communities that I represent. I think we should go through the whole Inuvik region to see if we can send a third party in there out of Yellowknife to go and look at the customer service, get the customer service satisfaction thing out into the communities to see if the people are actually being serviced with regard to the high power rates and all these big bonuses that we have to pay every year.
I appreciate those comments. We are reviewing the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. Once we get the report and I’ve had a chance to examine the recommendations, I’m sure that we will be looking at some of the issues the Member brought up.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
