Philippe Morin
Northern News Services
Monday, July 2, 2007

TUKTOYAKTUK - If you ask the NWT Power Corporation, people in Tuktoyaktuk are having trouble reading their bills, and don't understand how much electricity they are using.

The company's equipment is accurate, and whatever problems might have existed in the past have been resolved since April.

In fact, according to a Power Corp. spokesperson, no one's been calling with complaints. "We were up at a hamlet meeting at the end of April and we informed them there was no discrepancy with the metres," said director of thermal operations Herbert Blake.

"The discrepancy was in some billing procedures we had at that time. Those issues were ironed out, and any of those customers that were complaining about high consumption, we proved to them the consumption was true, and they were responsible."

Tuktoyaktuk's mayor Jackie Jacobson disagrees. He says there are still some unexplained increases in residents' power bills, and believes the company should monitor its equipment more closely. While rates went up 12 per cent this year in Tuk, Jacobson said electricity bills have shot higher. In some cases, residents said, they have doubled or worse.

"There's more than a few people complaining about the power rates. We're a small community, we run on a diesel engine and the price of fuel is going up. But I don't see how it would (account for) such a big increase," he said.

"I think they should be doing monthly power reads, instead of sending someone to check it every three months."

One resident of Tuktoyaktuk, Richard Staniforth, said his bills increased for no reason.

"My bill went up double. Next door, his bill went up four times. He complained and they reduced it, but it's still double what it normally is."

Staniforth said the problems started this spring, once the new power rates were approved.

"I don't know what's going on., My bill has never been more than $130 or something like that, and suddenly it goes up to $240," he said.

"It seems to be the kilowatts per hour just jumping up," he said.

Asked about these discrepancies, Blake said the Power Corp had discussed these issues with the hamlet, and found no inaccuracies in its equipment.

He ventured that people might be misreading their bills or underestimating their consumption.

"It's like everything else. Electricity's very convenient. Sometimes people don't know how to manage it efficiently and maximize the benefit," said Blake.

And while Staniforth said his neighbours called the power corp to complain, Blake said this hasn't happened.

"If there is a problem, I can't fix it through the media," he said. "No one's been calling here at all."

Jacobson said the community is planning to build wind turbines, and soon generate a portion of its own power.

He added the current situation is a serious problem for many families, who are struggling to pay their bills and can't seem to reduce them.

"People go out and buy new appliances - washers, dryers, changing from an electric stove to a boiler - and the next thing you know they re paying the same if not more, even after paying for all the appliances," he said.

"I just hope the Power Company realizes how many families have two people working just to keep up."