Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board. So on April 16th, the Minister sent directives to the Public Utilities Board on 11 kinds of policy changes that need to be made to allow for the growth of renewable energy generation in the territory. The Minister stated in a subsequent letter to the government operations committee that it's expected to take five years before the policies are fully in effect, but it's hard to see how we can achieve the goals in our 2030 Energy Strategy if we don't even have policies in place before then.
So my first question, with regard to the first directive around integrated power system planning, which is incredibly fundamental, can the Minister clarify whether it's expected to take five years before the power system planning can even begin or when can we expect to have a plan for an integrated power system? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, yeah, I guess the thing here is we're doing the integrated plan, system plan, to ensure that we have the right mixture of power to meet the demands of our system. The work has already been happening. It's already begun. So, you know, it's not a wait five years. You know, we're planning to have our goal of 2050. So, you know, we're already working on this system. It's not just starting right now. While the plan, the full plan, will take some time to complete, it's not a prerequisite for implementing the other policy directives. The plan will consider the impacts to those directives and support the long-term energy security, affordability, and sustainability of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So as the Minister alluded, you know, work has already begun and, in fact, the GNWT's already commissioned four independent analyses and completed extensive research, so couldn't the Public Utilities Board simply use the existing research to speed up its policy development, or does the PUB have to start all over again with its own research; can the Minister clarify? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The GNWT has commissioned several technical studies. The PUB has directed the use of existing studies also. We're not just putting them on the shelf. So we're using them. The PUB established its own process of implementing each directive. For example, while the GNWT has directed the PUB to establish an independent power producer policy, the exact design will be based on evidence and consultation through the PUB process. So the PUB can commission additional studies, if needed, but it's been using existing ones also. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister responsible for Public Utilities Board. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I wonder if the Minister could provide us with a revised timeline that's sooner than within five years and perhaps even prioritize some of the directives to be completed sooner, especially the ones communities have been asking for, such as the policy on independent power producers or the overly restrictive cap on community generation of renewable energy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the structure of our directives allow for the -- for a phrased or prioritized rollout. That said, it's up to the PUB to determine the process and timelines for the implementation. So we're recognizing the strong community interest of these changes, and the PUB is expected to consider that as it sets its priorities. The GNWT's role is to provide direction. The PUB is responsible for executing the way that is informed and align how our utilities operate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister responsible for Public Utilities Board. Oral questions. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.
