The North at an energy crossroads

How NTPC is tackling aging systems, diesel dependence, and high costs — and why a cleaner, more connected energy future is within reach

By Cory Strang, July 15, 2025

The Northwest Territories stands at a pivotal moment in its energy future. And NTPC is ready. 

Today, you rely on us to deliver electricity to your homes and businesses – and we’re proud to serve customers across 1.2 million square kilometres. This is our commitment day in and day out.

But we also believe NTPC has a crucial role to play in building a stronger and brighter future for NWT.

That’s why, in our mission to power the north, we have a clear vision for the future that charts a course toward transformation:

• Communities connected by clean, reliable energy systems;

• Indigenous partnerships creating shared prosperity through renewable energy development;

• New industrial and commercial ventures powered by abundant northern hydro;

• Transmission infrastructure that connects our isolated systems.

Our customers have told us clearly what you need to make this vision a reality: more reliable power, faster response when outages occur, cleaner energy options, and better value.

These aren't just aspirations – they're achievable goals that our plan is designed to deliver in the years ahead. We're committed to turning these priorities into the foundation of our territory's energy future.

An integral part of the North

As a Métis person born and raised in Hay River, I've dedicated my career to this utility because I believe deeply in its critical role to life in the territory. The NWT cannot progress if our electrical infrastructure doesn’t also grow and evolve. 

The NWT cannot progress if our electrical infrastructure doesn’t also grow and evolve.

Over my 25 years with the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, I've learned something important: we're not just a utility serving the North – we are part of its very fabric.

The other day, I stopped by a restaurant for a quick lunch. Hay River is a small town, so we all know one another. As luck would have it, the power went out. I put up my hand and blurted out: “Sorry.” Everyone laughed. Thankfully, the power was out for only a few seconds.

I'm proud to work alongside a team of dedicated professionals who share that commitment. Our lineworkers, engineers, technicians, and support staff don't just maintain the lights – they're building the future of northern energy, one project at a time.

But that moment at lunch is a reminder: NTPC employees live in the NWT and we are proud to serve. We experience the same challenges as our customers. We feel every outage, every rate increase, every system limitation. Because the North is our home too.

That’s why our vision for the future, encapsulated in our strategic plan, outlines ambitious but important goals for our work through to 2040. And that’s why all of us at NTPC are dedicated to it. Because all of us want a better, stronger and brighter future for our communities.

Challenges we face together

We must be honest about the challenges ahead as we pursue this vision together. Customer expectations have evolved far faster than our systems have.

Today, 25 thermal plants serve remote communities across vast distances. NTPC also operates two unconnected hydroelectric systems – the Snare system serving Yellowknife and surrounding communities, and the Taltson system serving the South Slave region.

NTPC employees live in the NWT and we are proud to serve.

Like the other northern utilities, our systems operate in complete isolation – we can't import cheaper power from other provinces or rely on external backup when equipment fails.

But these challenges also bring an abundance of opportunities to build a stronger, better connected – and cleaner – energy future for the Northwest Territories. We're making real, measurable progress: plans to connect communities to existing hydro infrastructure are being completed, high penetration wind and solar systems with Battery Energy Storage Systems and microgrid controllers are installed and being performance tested and the Taltson expansion advancing from concept to reality with government leadership.

Our approach to achieving this cleaner and brighter energy future rests on four interconnected pillars:

Innovation: Continuously improving how we serve you. We're always looking for proven technologies and better ways of doing things that can make your power more reliable and affordable.

Economic sustainability: Developing energy solutions for exciting new industrial and commercial opportunities – from mining operations to data centres and manufacturing facilities – while finding efficiencies that benefit all of our customers.

Reliability: Building connections between our systems and upgrading aging infrastructure so outages happen less often and get fixed faster. 

Environmental sustainability: Pursuing a cleaner energy future and supporting the territory's climate goals by making the most of our natural resources – more hydro, wind, and solar, and less diesel.

The four pillars support the future we're building: Indigenous-led energy projects, communities powered by clean hydro or high penetration renewable with Battery Energy Storage Systems instead of diesel, new industries choosing the North for reliable green power, and the Taltson expansion connecting it all together.

The centrepiece of this transformation remains the Taltson expansion project led by the Government of the Northwest Territories. Adding 60 megawatts of clean generation while connecting our northern and southern grids addresses our fundamental structural challenge. 

This connection unlocks opportunities that isolated systems cannot: connecting diesel communities to clean power, supporting industrial and commercial development from traditional mining to emerging data centre opportunities, and creating the foundation for territorial economic growth.

Addressing your concerns

This transformation will take time and investment, but it's designed to address one of your biggest concerns: the cost of electricity. By connecting diesel communities to clean hydro and attracting new industrial customers, we're building a system that shares costs across a larger base while reducing our expensive reliance on trucked-in fuel.

All of us want a better, stronger and brighter future for our communities.

This transformation belongs to all Northerners because you asked for it. You've told us what the North needs: reliable power, clean energy, and service that matches your expectations. We're implementing a territorial vision that addresses our unique geography, climate, and community needs. 

The approach recognizes that the North requires northern solutions developed through northern partnerships.

The North has always demanded bold thinking and practical solutions. Today, we're applying both to transform our energy landscape through reliable, sustainable, innovative approaches that empower life in the North.

Join us on the journey. Explore this Powering the North website, subscribe to receive updates and follow us on socials.

Cory Strang is Chief Executive Officer of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation.