SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Northland Utilities says it must collect an extra $334,607.33 from its customers in order to comply with directives handed down after the NWT's power watchdog received complaints from customers who say they were overcharged on their bills.

In a highly critical letter sent to the NWT Public Utilities Board May 22, Northland Utilities argued that the board erred in "fact/and or law" when it issued directives ordering the power company to give a rebate to three Yellowknife customers whose power bills inexplicably skyrocketed last winter.

According to the letter - signed by Northland managers Jeff Barbutza and Duane Morgan - the utility was "very concerned" by the 18 directives issued by the board last April, and argued the board was being "selective and punitive" with its orders to rebate the three customers.

Barbutza said he did not want to comment further on the costs related to the directives, as the company is presently drafting an appeal of them.

Northland is also asking to put the rebates on hold while it files a review and variance application to quash them.

The appeal will be submitted by June 30.

"It will look at some of the costs and some of the directives," said Barbutza.

"So I really don't want to comment on that stuff until we've filed the review in variance."

The letter from the company provides an estimated expense for each directive issued by the board.

For instance, the utility regulator directed the company to lower the monthly threshold it uses to automatically investigate residential customers' bills to $400 from $500.

Northland said it would need to add one full-time position in Yellowknife - at an expense of $108,000 - and one part-time position for its NWT company - costing $53,780 - to respond to the directive.

The company proposed the threshold remain at $500.

"If a bill exceeding $500 or more in any given month is higher by 50 per cent than any bill in the previous 16 months, a customer will be notified by phone where possible to discuss the high bill and will be provided with options," the letter states.

Northland Utilities was also directed to make cosmetic changes to its bills. The company estimated it would cost $43,000 to make the consumption and bill amounts more prominent, in one instance.

As well, the company estimated the board's request to have it put a power bill calculator on its website for customer use will cost approximately $14,000.

Joe Acorn, chairman of the Public Utility Board, said the board will be coming up with a response to Northland's letter soon.

"I'm going to deal with it this week, hopefully," Acorn told Yellowknifer om Monday.