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6TuesdayFebruary172015POLITICSENERGY15023CA0ScanwithyourmobiledeviceThereisstillmoretimetoapplyforPersonalCreditsofupto3000foreducationallanguageorculturalprograms.IndividualswhoreceivedaCommonExperiencePaymentundertheIndianResidentialSchoolsSettlementAgreementareeligibleforupto3000inPersonalCreditsforeducationprogramsandservices.Theseincludecoursesatuniversitiescollegestradeortrainingschoolsorforprogramsandworkshopsprovidedbycommunity-basedgroupsorculturalcentresforactivitiesrelatedtoAboriginallanguageandculture.PersonalCreditscanbeusedbyaCommonExperiencePaymentrecipientsharedwithuptotwofamilymembersorpooledforgroupeducationservices.ThedeadlinetoapplyhasbeenextendedtoMarch92015.HelpwithcompletingthePersonalCreditsAcknowledgmentFormisavailable.Findoutmoreatwww.residentialschoolsettlement.caorbyphoneMaininformationline1-866-343-1858AssemblyofFirstNations1-866-869-6789NunavutTunngavikIncorporatedIqaluit1-888-646-0006InuvialuitRegionalCorporationInuvik1-867-777-7092MakivikCorporationQuebec1-418-522-2224PowerdistributionsparksdebateinNWTlegislatureMembersdebatewhetherprivatecompaniesraisingenergycostsinNWTByMEAGANWOHLBERGThequestionofhowmanypowerdistributorstheterritoryreallyneedswasraisedagaininlegislaturelastweeksparkingaheateddebateamongMLAswhosayprivatefranchiseagree-mentsinsomecommunitiesaredrivingupthecostsofliving.YellowknifeCentreMLARobertHawkinskeptattheissueofpowerdistributionagreementslastweekaccusingprivatecompaniesofmakingundueprotsoffofNorthernersthroughwhathecalledunfairsole-sourcecontractsanissuehesbeenvocalizingsincesessionbeganonFeb.4.EithercompetitionhastobecreatedtodrivethepricedownortheNWTPowerCorp.NTPChastotakeoverdistributioninthecommuni-tiescurrentlyservicedbyprivatecompaniesHawkinsargued.Ifwecannotcreateanenvironmentofaro-bustcompetitionthenwesimplyneedtohavethecouragetobreakupthemonopolybecausethePowerCorp.ministersaidquitenicelytheotherdaythisisanessentialservice.Wemustndawaytoprotectthepublicsinterest.Thatswhywerehere.Thatswhatweshouldbeght-ingforHawkinsemphasizedlastWednesday.WhileNTPCacrowncorporationoftheGNWTcurrentlyhandlesdistributioninmostNWTcommunitiesHayRiverYellowknifeFortProvidenceWekweetiEnterpriseandTroutLakeareservicedbyNorthlandUtilitiesLtd.NULanATCOcompany.HawkinssaiditsclearthatNTPCisputtingeffortsintobringingdownthecostofenergyincommunitieswithhelpfromtheterritorialgovernmentwhichhaspumped80millioninsubsidiesintothecorporationinthepastfouryears.ThatswhyheswonderingwhytheGNWThasnotdonemoretopreventcompanieslikeNULfrommakingaprotoffofthosesubsidies.WhydowehavesoutherndistributorshereintheNorthwestTerritorieswhenwehaveanoptiontostartsqueezingthisproblemtowardsapositivesolutionheasked.Wehaveasouth-erndistributorworkinghereintheNorthwestTerritorieswhohasaninsatiableappetiteforprotatatimewhenpeoplescostoflivingfac-torhasgonethroughtheroofthattheycannolongercarry.WearenotamiddlemanNULOfcialswithNULsayitismisinformedtoassertthecompanyactsasamiddlemanrespon-siblefordrivinguppowerratesforNortherners.Theelectricityservicesweprovide...arere-quiredinthecommunitiesweserveregardlessoftheserviceproviderreadsastatementfromNULonline.ThecompanysaiditdoesnotmarkupthecostofpowerandthatitsfairandreasonableratesarereviewedandapprovedbythePublicUtilitiesBoard.ItsaidbuyingoutNULwouldnotsolvetheproblemofhighenergycostsincommunities.Thecosttobuy-outNorthlandUtilitieswouldhavesignicantcostimplicationstoeitherratepayersortaxpayersintheNWTthecompanysaid.GovernmentNorthlandUtilitiesandNTPCneedtoworktogethertoallocateutil-itycostsdifferentlyandworkwithIndigenouscommunitiestoassessanddevelopnewsourcesofenergycontinuetoincreaseoperationalef-cienciesandimplementnewtechnologies.DistributionmodelunderreviewStillMichaelMiltenbergertheministerre-sponsibleforNTPCsaidHawkinsraisedgoodlegitimatequestions.HesaidtheGNWTisal-readyconsideringareviewofthepowerdistri-butionmodelfollowinglastfallsenergychar-retteespeciallyinlightofcertainfranchiseagreementscomingupforrenewal.HayRiversmunicipalgovernmentrecentlyannounceditwouldnotberenewingNULs10-yearcontractwiththetownduetocostsandhasinvitedNTPCtobidonthetender.WhetherornotNTPCplanstothrowitshatintheringMiltenbergersaidhasyettobedecided.Thereareeconomicquestionsthereareregulatoryquestionstherearepolicyques-tionsandlegalquestionsthatwehavetobeclearinourmindsbeforeweformallystandupandtakeanalpositiononthatissuebutthatworkisgoingtobeconsideredsothatwecaninfactmakeasinformedadecisionaspossibletheministersaid.StillMiltenbergersaidhequestionstheneedformorethanonedistributorintheNWTandadmittedthecostdifferenceexperiencedbyNULcustomersissignicant.WhileFortSmithpays0.18kWhforitshydroHayRiverpays0.32kWh.InYellowknifeNULcharges0.28kWh.TheratesNULischargingtheyremakingahighprot.Theyremakingmulti-milliondol-larsayearMiltenbergersaidatarecentcon-stituencymeetinginFortSmith.Ourgovern-mentsubsidygoesstraighttoNUL.Thatdoesntmakesensetome.Yellowknifeisscheduledtonegotiateitsfran-chiseagreementin2017whenthecurrentcon-tractgoesupforrenewal.MichaelMiltenbergerministerresponsiblefortheNTPowerCorp.speaksaboutenergycostsduringtheterritoryssecondenergycharrettelastfallinYellowknife.PhotoBillBradenwww.auroracollege.nt.caAppointmentnd