Nalcor does not expect an issue with some fibreglass beams in the machinery at Muskrat Falls and Soldiers Pond to delay commissioning of the Labrador Island Link (LIL) software. GE is currently developing the software which is required to transmit power across the Strait of Belle Isle.
CEO Stan Marshall says the beams will have to be replaced later on but they have found an interim solution. The beams had been improperly cured during manufacturing.
They will be heat-treated and put back in place by about the end of the month.
As for the transformer fire at Churchill Falls a couple of weeks ago, Marshall says they still have not seen any visible evidence of oil in the Churchill River. Over 40,000 litres of oil spilled from the transformer.
Marshall says it’s not the first time such an incident has occurred, but they don’t anticipate any major impact.
Meanwhile, Nalcor is advertising for a new president and CEO. Marshall had hoped for a replacement by last spring but COVID-related delays got in the way. The job pays about $600,000 per year plus bonuses.
