Hay River council votes tonight on next power distribution contract

After months of deliberation, Hay River councillors will finally vote tonight to replace the town's current power distributor, the privately-owned Northland Utilities, with the government-owned Northwest Territories Power Corporation.

On Monday Mayor Brad Mapes called for the special meeting of council, which will begin at 7 p.m. tonight.

There, councillors will vote on a motion allowing the town to enter into a franchise agreement with the power corporation for the supply and distribution of electric power starting after Nov. 30, which is when the Northland Utilities' franchise is set to expire.

The motion includes the provision that the Power Corperation will buy the distribution infrastructure from the town at the same price as the town pays to Northland Utilities, which owns the energy distribution infrastructure in Hay River. 

If terms of the initial purchase cannot be agreed upon, the matter will go to third-party arbitration. 

Hay River announced in December of 2014 that it would not be renewing its contract with Northlands, citing cost as a chief factor.