Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Jun 30/00) - The Northwest Territories Power Corporation wants to hear from you.

The company plans to assemble two or three focus groups in Fort Simpson to learn what customers really want from the utility, says NTPC's public relations representative Peter Watt.

"We need to go out and talk to our customers," said Watt, adding that leaflets and advertisements will be used to communicate the utility's position.

Ten to 12 people from the community are to take part in each round-table discussion session over the next few weeks, he said.

Whatever the outcome of the power supplier plebiscite and the Public Utilities Board's subsequent decision in Fort Simpson, the current situation has amounted to a "wake up call," for the Power Corp., Watt said.

"We acknowledge that there's areas we need to improve on," he said.

When asked if there's any room for flexibility on rates per kilowatt hour or to turn over residual heat to the village at no cost, Watt could not give any definite answers. He said there will be a general rate application in the fall, and that prices could be explored.

He suggested the Power Corp. could offer better payment options, simplify its power bills and give more tips on energy conservation to its customers.

Watt and Gordon Stewart, chairman of the board for the Power Corp., attended the village's public meeting last week to introduce the competition, Jupiter Power International Inc.

Stewart said the figures presented during that meeting didn't tell the whole story.

"I don't know until I see what (their numbers) are made up of," he said. "But I guess I was delighted that Jupiter's finally out of the closet and it's on the table. Peter and I met with the mayor just to let him know that (we) will be in the community. They're going to see a lot of us."

As for the Power Corp.'s assets, those won't be let go readily, if it comes to that, Stewart said.

"Our position is that we don't want to sell them," he said. "If we can't agree, the Public Utilities Board appoints an arbitrator."