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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Premier Floyd Roland announced Thursday that the government is investigating a proposal from ATCO to merge with NWT Power Corporation.

Though both parties are remaining tight lipped about the details included in the offer, Premier Roland said that the partnership could potentially cut residential power bills, and increase the efficiency and reliability of the service in the North.

Premier Floyd Roland says the merger might be worth examining. - NNSL file photo

"The proposal comes at a time when there’s been a lot of comments from businesses and people in our community that are served by the power corporation, about the costs and the impact that has on our cost of living," said Roland. "The timing of this proposal comes when we do have to have a serious look at offers like this."

According to Roland, the Calgary based electricity company submitted the offer early last month. Currently it provides power to about 10,000 customers in Yellowknife and outlying communities through its subsidiary Northland Utilities.

The offer coincides with the territorial government’s review of the NWT Power Corporation as it looks for ways to run the utility more efficiently and cheaper.

Roland has assigned a working committee of senior government officials chaired by cabinet secretary Dave Ramsden to review the proposal. The review is expected to conclude by the end of April. According to Roland, it will then be brought to “cabinet as well as members of the assembly for further direction.”

Jerome Babyn,Yukon Electrical Company Ltd. General Manager and ATCO spokesman, said that the company is looking forward to working closely with the government during the review. With more than 50 years of service in the North, he said a partnership could only benefit the Territory and its electricity customers.

"You have two very significant utilities in the North that bring a lot of benefits and to bring those together to provide even more benefit is a great opportunity," he said.

"For example, we all file the regulatory applications to the Public Utilities Board. There may be a way under a merger concept that you’re not paying for three separate processes and it serves to be more efficient and maybe provide more cost savings for everyone.

But until you sit down and explore the possibilities, you don’t really know what’s possible."