A distributor that buys its power wholesale
Naka Power is the local electricity distributor for the Yellowknife area and several smaller NWT communities. It owns and operates the local poles, lines and substations, but it does not generate the main grid's power: it buys it wholesale from NTPC and delivers it to your meter. It is a joint venture owned 51 % by Denendeh Investments Inc. (representing 27 Dene First Nations) and 49 % by ATCO.
If the name is new to you, that is because Naka Power is the rebrand of Northland Utilities, announced on 12 April 2024. "Naka" means the aurora borealis, the northern lights, in most Dene languages. Because it is investor-owned and regulated, its rates are set by the Northwest Territories Public Utilities Board.
Where Naka Power delivers
Naka Power distributes in the Yellowknife area and a handful of smaller communities. Note: since 1 March 2025, the town of Hay River is served by NTPC, not Naka Power.
Outside the Naka Power area? You have a different utility
The territorial Crown corporation: generator for the NWT and the distributor in most communities, including the town of Hay River since March 2025. Rates set by the NWT PUB.
Not sure which one? Check your most recent electricity bill: the issuer's name is at the top.
How Naka Power's charges appear on your bill
A residential Naka Power bill has a fixed monthly charge plus a per-kilowatt-hour energy charge, with the 5 % federal GST added (the Northwest Territories has no provincial sales tax). Because Naka Power buys its power wholesale from NTPC, the cost of that purchased power flows through to customers under rates approved by the Northwest Territories Public Utilities Board.
A fixed amount that covers the meter, the service connection and billing, regardless of how much electricity you used.
A per-kilowatt-hour rate applied to every unit of electricity used, reflecting the wholesale power Naka buys from NTPC plus distribution costs.
The Northwest Territories has no PST, so only the 5% federal GST is added to the bill as a separate line item.
Because there is no competing retailer, the way to reduce your bill is to reduce consumption. Territorial subsidy programmes also help cushion the high cost of power in remote diesel communities.
Contact details: emergency line first
Outages and emergencies. In Yellowknife, call 867-873-4865. For an immediate hazard, call 911 first.
Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; 24/7 outage line
For non-urgent online options you can use the current outages page, the outage reporting page or the Naka Power website.
Report a power outage
If your power is out, call 1-800-264-5313 (or 867-873-4865 in Yellowknife). Naka Power provides outage and emergency service 24 hours a day. You can also check the current outages page to see whether the outage is already known and whether it is planned maintenance.
Because Naka Power runs a compact, mostly urban network around Yellowknife, restoration is often quick for local faults. During extreme cold, wildfire events or a problem on the wider NTPC supply, restoration can take longer. Planned outages for maintenance are posted in advance on the Naka Power outages page.
New connection or service upgrade
For a new build, a service upgrade or any work that touches the physical wires or meter in the Naka Power area, you deal with Naka Power. Call 867-873-4865 or visit https://www.nakapower.com/en-ca.html. You will need the civic address, your electrician's load details and a Northwest Territories electrical permit with a wiring inspection before energisation. If your address is in a community NTPC serves, contact NTPC instead.
Moving home, transferring or closing a service
In the Naka Power area, the move-in and move-out conversation is handled by Naka Power. There is no separate retailer to call. Give Naka Power your move date and the new address; it closes the old account, records a final meter reading and opens the new one. If you are moving between the Naka Power area and a community served by NTPC, you will need to close one account and open another with the other utility.
Meters, meter reading and accuracy
Naka Power owns the meter at your address and bills you for the kilowatt-hours it records. If you think a meter is faulty, contact Naka Power to request a check; meters are tested against Measurement Canada's tolerance. Naka Power's online services let you view your account and consumption so you can spot unusual spikes between bills.
What do you need to do with Naka Power?
Pick an action. The tool shows the right phone, the right link, and what to expect. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Note: under AUC Rule 002, Alberta distributors are not required to pay automatic compensation for outages. Damage claims are evaluated case-by-case on negligence.
Compensation and damage claims
The Northwest Territories does not have a statutory automatic-compensation scheme for individual electricity outages, and Naka Power is no exception. If equipment was damaged by a voltage event or food spoiled during an outage, you can ask Naka Power about its claims process. Claims are evaluated on negligence and routinely denied when the cause was severe weather, wildfire, wildlife, third-party contact or a planned outage. For most household losses, a home insurance claim is usually faster; keep dated receipts and photos.
Who regulates Naka Power
Naka Power is regulated by the Northwest Territories Public Utilities Board (NWT PUB), the same independent body that regulates NTPC. Naka Power must apply to the Board to change rates and to make major capital and operating expenditures; the Board reviews the applications and issues binding decisions. Ownership sits with a joint venture between Denendeh Investments Inc. (51 %, representing 27 Dene First Nations) and ATCO Ltd. (49 %). Rate questions and service complaints go to Naka Power first, then to the NWT PUB as a last resort.