Switch in power billing system could leave N.W.T. residents worse off, some argue

In the Northwest Territories, people who generate their own electricity could soon get less money for the extra power they produce. Two power companies want to change how those customers are compensated. They say a system called net billing would be better than the current net metering program. But critics argue the change could leave customers worse off. Devon Trudinik explains. Utility providers in the Northwest Territories want to change how people who produce their own power are reimbursed. Currently, the territory uses what's called net metering. Net metering allows residents to bank energy they've produced during the summer months, typically with solar, that can be used in the winter instead of purchasing power from a utility provider. With net billing, that energy becomes a credit only. It's worth a different amount than the regular electricity rate, generally less. The owner of a business that installs solar panels across the Northwest territory says net billing is less financially attractive, which could mean less benefits to the environment by extension. He also says it wouldn't entirely save utilities from financial bleeding. I mean, the solar systems that are existing are not going away. So that revenue loss is gone forever. These systems aren't coming off these houses. I mean, no matter what the utility does here, there's going to be revenue loss because we're not going away. In a statement, NWP Power says net billing is one way to ensure compensation for producing renewable power is based on actual savings. And for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, the switch could mean fairer prices for all customers. The Public Utilities Board is currently reviewing both utilities' submissions. Devon Trudinik, CBC News, Yellowknife.