Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions will be directed to the Minister responsible for strategic infrastructure, and it's in particular to the Taltson briefing we had the other day.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the briefing, and I certainly am a fan of the overall concept of the project. One of the things mentioned by the witnesses about the fears or concerns that we must protect to make sure we don't mortgage or children and grandchildren, etcetera, and I think he was quite correct in that observation. So my question in particular to the Minister is that when will a business case actually be built in detail to ensure that we have that kind of answer to find out if we can afford this particular initiative before we proceed and hope the customers do come one day. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Minister responsible for infrastructure and energy.
That's me. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a very detailed business case. It was developed back, I want to say roughly 2020, 2021. But, Mr. Speaker, the next question -- the second question that was asked as to whether or not we can afford it, the simple fact, Mr. Speaker, is that the GNWT alone cannot afford a project that is into the $3 billion although I might spin it on its head and part of the comment that was being referenced wasn't mine; it was by one of the other Members who attended from another -- as a representative for one of the other governments that's participating, and the concern being about what we're doing for our future generations, Mr. Speaker, it's a question of can we afford not to invest in our energy infrastructure, and I'd suggest, Mr. Speaker, that we cannot. We need to find a path forward. That path forward's going to have to be partnership with other governments. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, just like my colleague from Range Lake had pointed out, exorbitant power fees, my concern and the concern of people is this, simply clearly, we can build it for any price, sure, but can we afford it and what kind of rate riders are going to be on this? So, Mr. Speaker, has that analysis been started, and when can we expect that analysis to be public to find out what the increased costs to the bottom line of Northerners' power bills will be? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, Mr. Speaker, there is a very detailed business case that looks at different types of structures for this project. There's two parts to it. There's the transmission line that connects our north and south hydro grids, and the second part would be utilizing water that's already in the reservoir and that's not currently being used to generate more power. There's the opportunity to bring Indigenous governments into this project, make them owners of the project, figuring out what kind of equity sources they have and what might backstop, what kinds of funds stacks they might have, as well as then on the other side. Mr. Speaker, the simple reality is if we were to build this entirely as a utility, as -- then it was an infrastructure investment go on to ratepayers, that's a rule of the public utilities board, not mine. That is not an option, Mr. Speaker, for all the reasons that we're already talking about. Folks can't afford that. The residents can't afford that. And we're going to need to find a different funding stack. That has been long what's chased this project -- not long but I would suggest has delayed this project, but we do now need to find that funding stack, and I am committed to doing so.
Thank you, Minister responsible for strategic infrastructure and energy. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that. To me, it's about the three Ps. I like the project. I like the partners. I am afraid of the payments, Mr. Speaker. When will there be a clear and transparent business case put before the public so we know what the realities will be and what the offsets if we do get any support from government -- federal government so we can see what the actual payment might be before we have a go/no-go on this particular initiative. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said there was -- there's a very long and detailed business case. It was shared with MLAs earlier this Assembly. And, again, happy to share it confidentially. It was held confidentially in part, Mr. Speaker, because there's other partners involved in the project, and there's considerations that they may have around what -- how they may want to structure their own affairs in this particular instance. As well, Mr. Speaker, the more detailed we get into the costs of something can potentially affect the procurement process that we go out to. If it's well known that something costs $10, you run very much a risk that you get bids of exactly $10, if not more. So, Mr. Speaker, but that's not to say that we aren't going out to the public to make sure people are aware of what the project is, what the costs are, and how it might get paid for, and that, then, can hopefully answer exactly the questions of what will be the -- what will be the payments to be made and to what extent are -- is the GNWT exposing to risk. That is exactly the question that has to be made before this thing goes into procurement. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister responsible for strategic infrastructure and energy. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.
