Debates of March 14, 2007 (day 2)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on January 26, 2007, the Public Utilities Board approved the Northwest Territories Power Corporation interim refundable rate rider effective February 1, 2007. I want to ask the Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board, what is the interim refundable rate rider and how is it going to affect people that are on hydro as opposed to people on diesel? Can he explain that just for the public’s interest? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. The honourable Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board, Mr. Menicoche.

Return To Question 29-15(6): Interim Refundable Rate Rider

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The interim rate rider that was approved to the NWT Power Corp is typically asked in a rate application until a final decision is made. With the recent NWTPC general rate application, that is going to take, we figure, up to a year to get to final approval. In the interim there has been a case made that due to the increased cost of fuel and operating costs, that they do need an increase for their operating expense. We do say that it is refundable in the case that the final approval is less than what has been asked for in the general rate application, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 29-15(6): Interim Refundable Rate Rider

On January 10, 2007, before this interim refundable rate rider was effective, the Power Corporation’s fuel rider and the rider T was approved by the Public Utilities Board. So we have the fuel rider and the rider T approved by the Public Utilities Board. Now we have an interim refundable rate rider. I don’t understand what the differences are and what effects it will have for people on hydro on diesel. Could the Minister explain that to me? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 29-15(6): Interim Refundable Rate Rider

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. That’s a level of detail that I don’t have right now. There were not two riders in that application that was brought before the Public Utilities Board. It must have been a separate application for the T rider. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 29-15(6): Interim Refundable Rate Rider

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The information I have, okay, we have the approval of the fuel rider and the rider T for the consumers that are on hydro, and now we have an approval of this interim refundable rate rider. Is the Public Utilities Board, or is the Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board, going to be putting out any kind of a public notice that will explain to myself, my constituents and the people of the NWT, what the effects are of this fuel rider? The rider T is pretty cut and dried, but explain what is this interim refundable rate rider going to be and what the changes are going to be to people’s power bills. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 29-15(6): Interim Refundable Rate Rider

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. There are a couple of zones that we do speak of when there’s a general rate application; one’s hydro communities and one’s the diesel communities. The general rate application process is usually explained by the proponent which is, in this case, the NWT Power Corporation. I can commit to getting more information on this matter to explain to the Member and the public consultation process, and I’ll get that back to the Member, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Final supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 29-15(6): Interim Refundable Rate Rider

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for making that commitment, I guess, just for the public interest. I would maybe want to ask the Minister for a commitment that either the Public Utilities Board or the NWT Power Corp or his department, whoever, because we’re already into one month here that this has been approved; it’s been approved effective February 1, 2007, and I don’t think people even really know what it is that has been approved. Just for the public’s interest and how it’s going to affect their power bills, I would like to see something maybe in Monday’s paper, perhaps, you know, a full-pager on how, explaining what these rate riders are, what this interim refundable rate rider is and how it’s going to affect everybody’s power rates. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 29-15(6): Interim Refundable Rate Rider

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I don’t think we can be publishing a full-page ad, but I can, once again, commit to getting more information out to the public if it’s with the Public Utilities board; or else I can contact the NWT Power Corporation, the Minister responsible, and see if we need more consultation or more advertising of this process for the rates, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.