Premier Andrew Furey says an expert panel’s advice on the future of Churchill Falls hydro will be an education for the public as well as government.

The panel was unveiled Wednesday to ensure Newfoundland and Labrador gets the most from the sprawling Labrador development when the contract with Quebec expires in 2041.

And while that’s still 19 years away, Furey says the time for planning is now in the world of 80 to 100-year hydro developments.

He says the panel members represent a solid cross-section of expertise that will inform more than just the public.

Furey says he expects cabinet and government will also receive an education through the panel process, noting while they’re expected to report back in the fall, it’s not a hard deadline.

Establishing such an expert panel to plan for 2041 was a key the recommendations of the Muskrat Falls Inquiry.

Panel members include chair Karl Smith, a former Fortis executive and Newfoundland Power boss, Hydro president Jennifer Williams, and David Vardy, a longtime outspoken critic of the Muskrat Falls Project.

The link to a listing of all 12 panel members and their backgrounds is available online