The province’s consumer advocate, who has spent the past decade poring over the books and documents of Newfoundland Power and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, is going to head up the oversight committee on the Churchill Falls negotiations.

Dennis Browne, who was critical of the Muskrat Falls deal even before the project hit the tailspins, will chair the oversight panel.

Government House Leader John Hogan and Natural Resources Minister Andrew Parsons made the announcement at Confederation Building this morning.

Parsons says the expert panel will review the MOU between Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec.

Parsons says the panel will be provided with financial support. Browne will appoint two others to round out the oversight committee at three. That process will involve submission to government of a list of candidates, and government will then short-list the names. Browne then has final say on who the other two members will be.