Northern energy that strengthens Canada
How nation-building infrastructure and northern clean-energy leadership can create lasting benefits for communities and the country
By Judith (Judy) Goucher
Across the Northwest Territories, delivering electricity has always demanded resilience – systems capable of standing up to distance, climate, and isolation, and people committed to keeping communities powered in some of the most challenging conditions in the country.
Today, those realities are meeting a new moment of opportunity. The North is entering a decade in which cleaner energy, stronger partnerships, and the potential for a more connected grid can reshape our long-term future.
This is a moment that calls for clarity, collaboration, and a steady hand. The decisions we make in the next few years will influence how communities grow, how industries invest, and how northern families experience the cost and reliability of electricity for generations.
Preparing for long-term progress
Across the territory, communities and Indigenous governments are taking a renewed interest in energy development – exploring renewable opportunities, examining local generation models, and advancing their own visions for a sustainable future. Nationally, the landscape is changing as well, as more jurisdictions move toward cleaner electricity and long-term energy security.
While many major decisions still rest with government and Indigenous leadership, – NTPC shares technical expertise, participates in discussions, and works with partners to assess options that align with northern conditions and existing infrastructure.
That means strengthening our long-term planning, understanding the financial implications of emerging opportunities, and preparing the corporation to support a more sustainable and connected future when direction is confirmed.
A once-in-a-generation opportunity: grid connection
Among the opportunities being discussed, one stands apart for its ability to fundamentally reshape the territory’s energy system – connecting the Snare/Bluefish hydro system with the Taltson system.
For decades, these hydro systems have operated independently, each managing low-water years, maintenance, and extreme seasonal demands on its own. A transmission connection between them would transform what is possible.
A unified hydro backbone would:
strengthen resilience by allowing one system to support the other
reduce long-term reliance on diesel and improve cost stability
enable widespread electrification, including dependable electric heat
support new industrial and commercial growth
bring approximately 70 per cent of the population onto a shared hydro system
A transmission connection between the Snare/Bluefish hydro system and the Taltson system would transform what is possible.
An interconnected northern grid would be nation-building infrastructure – strengthening Canada’s northern energy security, creating the conditions for future economic development, and anchoring long-term clean-power opportunities across the region.
Such a connection is more than an infrastructure upgrade. It is a structural shift that would allow the North to build an energy system capable of supporting communities, industries, and territorial growth for decades to come.
The Taltson Expansion Project – led by the Government of the Northwest Territories – is central to this possibility. NTPC is playing an active and essential role in this work, providing system expertise, long-term planning insight, and operational analysis to help ensure the project can deliver the greatest benefits for northern communities.
For a territory shaped by isolated grids, this represents a once-in-a-generation chance to create a more reliable, sustainable, and integrated energy future.
Strengthening Indigenous partnerships
A successful energy future in the NWT must be rooted in strong relationships with Indigenous governments. Across the territory, communities are examining renewable energy options, exploring ownership models, and considering how local generation can support community priorities.
NTPC’s role in these partnerships is clear: to provide reliable, factual information that helps communities make informed decisions. That includes sharing technical expertise, assessing long-term system impacts, and supporting – not directing – community-led initiatives.
Trust is essential. NTPC must continue demonstrating transparency and respect as Indigenous governments advance their own energy ambitions. A sustainable energy transition will only succeed if it is built through shared leadership.
Renewables and reliability – working together
Recent projects in northern communities have shown that renewable energy, when integrated with the right technologies, can strengthen reliability. Hybrid systems that combine solar, wind, battery storage, and intelligent controls can reduce outages and diesel use.
These successes demonstrate what is possible, but also highlight the importance of careful planning. Remote systems require reliability above all else. NTPC must continue balancing innovation with caution, ensuring that new technologies support system stability and community needs.
Providing stability and direction
Periods of transition demand strong governance.
As Chair, my focus is ensuring NTPC approaches this era of opportunity with discipline, transparency, and long-term thinking.
Good governance keeps the organization focused on public value – not short-term pressures – and ensures that the interests of communities and Indigenous partners remain central to every major decision.
Stable, thoughtful leadership is essential as the North prepares for the next generation of energy infrastructure and partnerships.
A steady hand in a decade of change
The coming decade will define the future of energy in the Northwest Territories. With careful planning, strong partnerships, and responsible governance, we can help build a system that is more resilient, more sustainable, and more connected than ever before.
It is an honour to serve in this role, and I am confident in the strength of the people, partners, and communities working together to power the North’s future.
Join us on the journey. Find more details on this Powering the North website, subscribe to receive updates and follow us on socials.
Judith (Judy) Goucher is Chair of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation