Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I was going off of power limiters and, you know, state of housing in my riding in Nunakput. Today, Mr. Speaker, it's minus 39 in Sachs Harbour, 30 in Paulatuk, minus 42 in Ulukhaktok, and minus 41 in Tuktoyaktuk.
Mr. Speaker, what work is the NTPC undertaking to address issues of power limiters, especially to the residents in the High Arctic; what has the Minister done? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories Power Corporation puts limiters on houses and anybody that has overdue accounts. So if you have an outstanding account that's 28 days after the billing, then the corporation may give notice of disconnection of service in writing to the customer. Where accounts are not paid before the expiration of such notice, then, you know, we work with the customer and perhaps have to install a limiting device. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what has the Minister accomplished in the life of the Assembly to bring down of the cost of the power in Nunakput riding? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just for context here, in December of 2022 we had 3,423 resident customers' accounts that are in arrears. We had 387 commercial customers that are in arrears. Mr. Speaker, we are working with the customers to be able to work and try and get their bills paid so that we don't have to put these limiters on. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is the Minister thinking of getting rid of all those bills on behalf of the whole territory then we could start over?
Mr. Speaker, you know what? Many residents are on income support in our territory. It's hard for them to pay their bills. Can the Minister commit to work with ECE to ensure that the clients can pay their power bills in the winter without having to give up the income support for food and other essential supplies; can she work with that with the Minister? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we already do work with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, and we also work with our income support program to be able to help the residents to work together and get their payments. So, yes, we do work together and perhaps we will continue to work together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, our units in our small communities, the appliances are old and they suck the power and the power bills go up, Mr. Speaker. In that turn, the residents struggle to pay for that.
Has the Minister done any work with the Minister responsible for housing to get energy efficient appliances in the public units across the territory, especially in Nunakput riding? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, the department works with NWT Housing. And, you know, we work with our partners like Arctic Energy Alliance. Mr. Speaker, there are some great programs out there that help support some of the housing that, you know, needs some work in the communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
