Planning for the future
The GNWT is planning ahead to make sure electricity in the NWT is reliable, affordable, and sustainable, now and for the next generation.
Our electricity system faces unique northern challenges: remote communities, a changing climate, and high diesel costs. Long-term planning helps us make smart, coordinated decisions so the lights stay on, rates stay fair, and cleaner energy options can grow.
Why it Matters
- Reliability: Keeps electricity flowing in every community and in every season, when needed.
- Affordability: Helps manage costs and reduce reliance on expensive diesel.
- Cleaner Energy: Supports renewable sources like hydro, solar, wind, and biomass to reduce GHG emissions and support economic development, climate competitiveness, and investment attraction.
How Planning Works
The GNWT works with utilities, Indigenous governments, and community partners to plan for the future of electricity in the territory. This includes:
- Identifying future energy needs in each region.
- Exploring new infrastructure projects to connect communities and expand renewable power.
- Upgrading and modernizing existing systems so they can operate efficiently and adapt to new technologies.
- Setting long-term goals for reliability, affordability, and GHG reductions.
This work is sometimes called integrated power system planning which simply means looking at all parts of the energy system together, instead of one project at a time.
Looking Ahead
Long-term planning is about building a stronger, more self-sufficient territory. Our goal is an energy system that is:
- Reliable for every community
- Affordable for residents and businesses
- Cleaner through increased renewable energy and less polluting fossil fuels consumption
- Resilient in the face of climate change and supply challenges
- Supports economic development, climate competitiveness and investment attraction
By planning together, we can make decisions today that support healthier, more sustainable northern communities in the future.
What’s changing and why
The GNWT is taking steps to build a cleaner, more reliable, and affordable electricity system for the NWT. This includes new policies, planning approaches, and programs to support renewable energy, fairer rates, and long-term reliability.
Understanding Our Challenges
Northern power systems are different from southern Canada. Some of the biggest challenges include:
1. Remote Geography Many communities have small populations, are far apart, and are not connected to each other. This makes power generation and maintenance more expensive.
2. Climate Change Weather events that contribute to low-water level years, increased intensity of wildfires, stronger wind occurrences, and permafrost thaw can impact system reliability.
3. High Fuel Costs Diesel remains essential in many communities. Fuel is expensive to ship, hard to store, and vulnerable to supply chain issues.
4. Aging Infrastructure Much of the NWT’s power system was built decades ago and now needs upgrades or full replacements.
Understanding these challenges helps explain why energy infrastructure investments, and long-term planning are so important.
Key Changes Underway
1. Coordinated Long-Term Planning Utilities are now required to plan together for the entire territory, not just individual communities. This improves coordination, reduces duplication, and helps identify the most cost-effective long-term solutions.
2. Updated Renewable Energy and Net Metering Rules Thermal (diesel) communities can now integrate more renewables, especially when paired with batteries. Updated net metering and IPP rules support safe, fair, and reliable renewable growth.
3. Fairer, Smarter Rate Design New policies help ensure costs are shared fairly, reflect true system expenses, and support renewable energy participation.
4. Supporting Electrification Where surplus hydro power exists, new policies support electric vehicles and electric heating as a cleaner alternative to expensive diesel.
5. Reducing Diesel Dependence Renewable energy projects, storage, energy conservation and efficiency, and coordinated planning all work together to reduce diesel use, cut GHG emissions, and improve energy security.
Why these changes matter
A modernized electricity system means:
- more stable and predictable power costs
- cleaner and more reliable energy for communities
- clearer rules and pathways for renewable project developers
- better integration of community and Indigenous-led energy initiatives
- stronger alignment with NWT’s climate and economic goals
- planning for economic development and the electricity needs of new industry
These changes help make sure the NWT’s energy system can support future growth while keeping residents and businesses at the centre of every decision.