Darren Campbell
Northern News Services

FORT SMITH (Jul 27/98) - Fort Smith is embroiled in a power struggle with the Northwest Territories Power Corporation.

The minister responsible for the corporation, Charles Dent, was in the town July 14 to hear community concerns over the government's plans to keep NWT Power intact after the NWT splits in 1999.

But many in this town are in favor of splitting the utility or at least looking for the government to do an energy plan for the western territory before they keep it intact.

"Let's have a strategic energy plan first and then decide what to do with the power corporation," said former Fort Smith Mayor, Dennis Bevington, who made a presentation on behalf of the municipality outlining reasons why the utility shouldn't stay intact.

Although the cost of power in Fort Smith is one of the lowest in the territories, (10.47 cents per KWH domestic rates and 8.43 government) the feeling is it would be less expensive if the new western territory ran its own corporation.

Residents of Fort Smith have long complained that they pay inflated power rates to subsidize markets in the East where costs are much higher.

The government's main argument for keeping the power corporation as one is a financial one. They claim power rates will go up five per cent in the West and nine per cent in the East if two corporations are created.

Dent said the issue is a complicated one and he doubts he convinced the 30 people at the meeting that the corporation should stay as is.

But after two years of studying the issue he is sure that is the way to go.

"Your power bill is going to be less," said Dent of the government's reasoning for keeping the power corporation intact.

He added that if each territory runs its own power corporation they will have less people to pay the bills and it will mean higher power rates for everyone.

"It would be sad if each territory decided to run its own little power corporation and pay more for power," said Dent.

At the meeting, Dent did make a commitment to provide technical staff from the corporation to go over their figures with the town.

Thebacha MLA Michael Miltenberger has not been in favor of keeping the corporation intact. He thinks there should be an overall review of the management of the power corporation within three years to decide what should be done to it.

"There is no use to force the issue," said Miltenberger. "Nothing will be done properly if we try to jam this through."

Inuvik Mayor George Roach said the town has concerns about keeping the power corporation together as well. And like those in Fort Smith, he doesn't trust the figures the corporation is using to justify their position.

"I'd like to see some straight answers from the power corporation and the government on the costs of this," said Roach.