What Qulliq Energy Corporation actually does
Nunavut never split electricity into a competitive market. Qulliq Energy Corporation (QEC) is a vertically integrated, territory-owned utility that generates, transmits and distributes electricity, and is the only company that bills customers anywhere in the territory. It is a Crown corporation, 100% owned by the Government of Nunavut, with its registered head office in Baker Lake and corporate offices in Iqaluit, plus regional offices in Cambridge Bay and Rankin Inlet.
Unlike a southern grid, Nunavut has no interconnected transmission network. Each of the 25 communities is powered by its own stand-alone diesel generating station, fuelled by diesel shipped in by sealift each summer and stored on site. Because the plants are not connected, power generated in one community cannot be shared with another, even during an outage. That diesel dependence, combined with low population density, gives Nunavut among the highest electricity costs in Canada, partly offset by Government of Nunavut subsidies.
- Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet, Arviat, Baker Lake, Cambridge Bay;
- all 25 communities across the territory;
- about 15,000 residential and business customers;
- one regulated rate, reviewed by the URRC.
- one stand-alone diesel plant per community;
- diesel arrives by sealift and is stored on site;
- no interconnection, so power is not shared;
- solar, district heating and geothermal in study.
Where Qulliq Energy Corporation delivers electricity
QEC is the single territory-wide utility. From Iqaluit to the smallest hamlet, it owns the wires and runs the local diesel plant. There is no other utility and no retail competition anywhere in Nunavut.
Qulliq Energy Corporation is the only electricity utility in Nunavut, so there is no other distributor to compare and no retailer to switch to. Whatever community you live in, QEC owns the wires, runs the diesel plant and sends the bill. The issuer name at the top of your bill confirms it.
How Qulliq Energy Corporation's charges appear on your bill
A residential QEC bill has a fixed component and a usage component. The dollar amounts evolve with each rate decision; the current schedule is published on qec.nu.ca. Because the power is generated from imported diesel, the cost of that fuel is a major driver of the rate, and the Government of Nunavut offsets part of the residential bill through the Nunavut Electricity Subsidy Program.
A fixed dollar amount billed every month. Covers the meter, the service connection, billing and customer support, regardless of how much electricity you used.
A per-kilowatt-hour rate applied to every unit of electricity used. It reflects the cost of generating power from diesel in your community.
The 5% federal Goods and Services Tax is added to the bill. Nunavut has no separate territorial sales tax. The amount appears as a separate line item.
The Government of Nunavut subsidises residential electricity for non-government customers who pay their own bill, up to 700 kWh per 30-day period from 1 April to 30 September and up to 1,000 kWh per 30-day period from 1 October to 31 March. Consumption above the threshold is billed at the full residential rate, and one residence per customer is eligible.
Because no competing retailer can offer you a different rate, the only ways to reduce your electricity bill are to use less (insulation, efficient lighting, behaviour changes) and, for eligible households, to make the most of the NESP threshold. QEC also runs net-metering and independent power producer programs for customers who want to generate their own renewable power.
Contact details: outage line first
Report outages by phone, 24/7. For an immediate hazard or downed wire, call 911 first.
Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Outages in Nunavut are reported by phone only: there is no live outage map or online report form. For billing, account moves and new connections, use customer care at 1-866-710-4200 or the corporate website.
Report a power outage
If your power is out, report it 24/7 by phone at 1-833-313-3030. This is the only way to report an outage in Nunavut: there is no live outage map or online form. The dispatcher logs your community and address and assigns the local crew. Because the communities are not interconnected, power cannot be rerouted from a neighbour while the local plant is being restored.
Call 1-833-313-3030, 24/7. Have your community, address and account number ready.
The control room identifies the affected plant or feeder in your community and assigns the local crew.
A crew works the local diesel plant or distribution fault. Power cannot be borrowed from another community.
Power is verified at the meter. Reset clocks, check the freezer, and contact QEC if you suffered a loss.
Nunavut's extreme cold and isolated, single-plant communities make reliable diesel generation critical: when a community's plant trips, there is no neighbouring grid to fall back on. QEC keeps backup generating capacity at its plants for exactly this reason and plans maintenance outages in advance.
Customers who depend on medical equipment should let Qulliq Energy Corporation know so they can be prioritised for information during prolonged outages.
New connection or service upgrade
For a new build, a service upgrade (for example moving from 100 A to 200 A), a temporary construction service, or any work that requires changes to the physical wires or meter, you deal with Qulliq Energy Corporation. Start at https://www.qec.nu.ca or call 1-866-710-4200. There is no other utility in Nunavut, so QEC handles every connection in every community.
The community and civic address, and any lot or property identification for the parcel.
A sketch showing where you want the meter, service entrance and run-back to the pole.
The amperage (100 A, 200 A, 400 A…) and voltage you need, confirmed by your electrician.
A Nunavut electrical permit and a wiring inspection through the territorial authority before energisation.
Remote communities and short shipping seasons mean materials can take time. Allow longer than a southern build.
Connection charge plus any contribution for line extension beyond the standard allowance.
Moving home, transferring or closing a service
In Nunavut the move-in and move-out conversation starts and ends with Qulliq Energy Corporation. There is no separate retailer to call first and no other utility, even if you move between communities. QEC closes the old billing account, sets up the new one, and updates field records. Allow extra notice for moves to or from smaller communities.
Give the move date and the new address. Both accounts open in one call.
A few business days minimum; allow more for smaller communities and month-end moves.
On the move-out date, QEC records the final reading remotely or via a field tech.
Closing bill for the period up to the move-out date. New address bill starts separately.
If you are eligible for the Nunavut Electricity Subsidy Program, remember to confirm with QEC that the subsidy is applied to your new residential account, since one residence per customer is eligible.
Meters, meter reading and accuracy
Qulliq Energy Corporation owns the meter at your address. It measures consumption in kilowatt-hours, and the utility bills you for what it shows. Some sites are read remotely; others still rely on periodic field reads, which matters in remote communities.
QEC reads your meter and bills the kilowatt-hours used. If a read is estimated, the next actual read trues it up.
QEC tests the meter against Measurement Canada's tolerance.
Knowing your monthly kWh helps you stay within the NESP subsidy threshold where eligible.
If the meter reads outside Measurement Canada's tolerance (typically ±2 %), the test is free and you get a billing adjustment. If it passes, a test fee may be charged to you at the utility's tariff rate.
What do you need to do with Qulliq Energy Corporation?
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
Nunavut does not have a statutory automatic-compensation scheme for individual electricity outages. Qulliq Energy Corporation reports its reliability performance but is not required to pay individual customers whose power was off.
If a piece of equipment was damaged by a voltage surge or if perishable food spoiled during an outage, you can file a damage claim with Qulliq Energy Corporation. The claim is evaluated on negligence and routinely denied if the cause was outside the utility's control.
- Equipment failure (generator, transformer, cable);
- Crew error during work on the network;
- Switching incident causing a voltage spike;
- Unplanned utility-caused service interruption.
- Severe weather (blizzards, extreme cold, wind);
- Wildlife contact with lines or equipment;
- Third-party contact (vehicle hits pole, dig-in);
- Planned outages notified in advance.
Most home insurance policies cover food spoilage and surge damage at a low excess. If your loss is meaningful, the insurance route is usually faster than a denied utility claim. Keep dated receipts and photos either way.
Regulator and complaint escalation
Qulliq Energy Corporation's rates are reviewed by the Utility Rates Review Council of Nunavut (URRC), an independent body that examines the corporation's General Rate Applications and advises the Minister responsible for QEC, who approves the rates. As a Crown corporation, QEC is ultimately accountable to the Government of Nunavut, with the URRC providing the independent rate review.
Utility Rates Review Council of Nunavut. Reviews QEC's General Rate Applications and advises the Minister responsible for QEC, who approves the rates.
Qulliq Energy Corporation is a Crown corporation 100% owned by the Government of Nunavut, which approves rates and funds the Nunavut Electricity Subsidy Program.
Most issues resolve here. Phone: 1-866-710-4200. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
If the front line cannot fix it, request a written decision. This creates the paper trail needed for the next step.
Ask for the complaint to be reviewed by a supervisor or the customer relations team.
For rate matters, the URRC reviews QEC applications and advises the Minister responsible for the corporation.