The rate mitigation hearings continued at the Public Utilities Board on Tuesday morning with Nalcor CEO Stan Marshall on the stand telling us their number one priority right now is trying to get the Labrador-Island Link fully operational.
It operated for a while last winter, and will again this winter, but only on a limited basis because of problems with the software. Marshall will be in the UK next week to discuss the issue with their contractor, General Electric.
The next two to three years is critical even though construction is virtually complete. Marshall says this is a very complex system and the software needed to operate it is unique to us, not something off the shelf.
Liberty Consulting testified last week that there are next to no markets for electricity export from Muskrat Falls with prices in the United States at 2.4 cents per kWh. However, Marshall sees a market in the Maritimes in the next 10 years as they get rid of 2,000 MW of coal. He also says New York City is interested in clean, Canadian hydro power.
Marshall told the rate mitigation hearing that having to go through so many regulatory processes—including the Muskrat Inquiry—has been frustrating, time-consuming and costly.
CEO Marshall says cost of Muskrat still$12.7 B. pic.twitter.com/xtkvgSg8oE
— Brian Madore (@bmadorevocm) October 8, 2019
