The average consumer in Newfoundland and Labrador should expect to be paying 59% more for electricity compared to their current rates once Muskrat Falls comes online. A household that current pays $156 a month for electricity (not including HST, basic charge or provincial rebate) will see their monthly charge increase
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The Sir Robert Bond Papers: Muskrat Falls commercial power by Q2 2019 ? #nlpoli
The latest progress report shows that Nalcor had a productive summer, but an extrapolation by the researcher and writer JM of information in the latest progress reports points to first power from Muskrat Falls in September 2018 and full commercial power by the middle of 2019. In at post at
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Pride and Failure #nlpoli
‘”Pride is a big factor” a manager at Muskrat Falls told the Telegram’s James McLeod on Monday during the latest media junket to the Big Dig North. People come to work every day and say “I built this.” Pride is the essence of Muskrat Falls. Go back to 2012. All
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: New Englanders know you’re bullshitting ‘em, Paul #nlpoli
The New England governors and eastern Canadian premiers were in town on Monday for a quick meeting. The only thing that seemed to make local news was talk about electricity sales. This is old hat for regular readers, but it is worth going over again. New England wants to buy
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Always ready for a better tomorrow #nlpoli
Ontario and the faltering Conservative administration in Newfoundland and Labrador are talking about the possibility of developing Gull Island to supply Ontario with renewable energy. CBC’s online story on Monday said exactly that: Ontario eyeing Lower Churchill hydroelectric power from Labrador. But if you listen to what grim-faced energy minister
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: That’s gotta suck, big time #nlpoli
All the country’s provincial and territorial leaders – except for Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia – are in Newfoundland and Labrador this week for their annual conference. What an opportunity for Paul Davis in an election year. He gets to show himself off looking all leader-like and premieral or whatever the
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Confidence Builder #nlpoli
The public utilities board asked Liberty Consulting to review Hydro’s decisions in 11 projects. Hydro is looking for a rate increase. The board wanted to make sure the increase was justified. Of the 11 projects, the consultant found: “Liberty found Hydro’s decisions and actions imprudent in seven of the eleven
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Way behind schedule #nlpoli
The reports you will likely read in the conventional media all peg the Muskrat Falls project as behind schedule. That’s what the latest project update from the provincial government and Nalcor says. The media reports are also citing an overall number that has the project modestly off schedule. You need
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: The Persistence of False Information: free electricity version #nlpoli
An exchange on Twitter reminded your humble e-scribbler on Wednesday evening of the power of false information to persist despite either being disproven or, in this case, being an obvious nonsense. Not surprisingly, the discussion was about Nalcor, Emera, the Maritime Link and a block of electricity that Nalcor gets
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Owing it forward #nlpoli
The provincial government will balance its books this year by borrowing $2.1 billion. Lots of people don’t know that, as Michael Caine would say. The government included in its budget plans this year a hike in the HST of two percent. The tax hike will bring in $200 million. That
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: A legacy of secrecy and bad deals #nlpoli
In response to questioning in the House of Assembly last Tuesday and Wednesday, natural resources Minister Derrick Dalley confirmed that the provincial government is in secret talks with Norwegian oil giant Statoil to develop a new field offshore Newfoundland. There’s was nothing in the local media about it until the
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Nova Scotia won’t get Muskrat Falls electricity #nlpoli
As part of its deal with Nalcor, Emera will get its electricity from Bay d’Espoir, not Muskrat Falls. The Business Post’s March 2015 edition reported that confirmation of the arrangement came from Emera Newfoundland and Labrador chief executive Rick Janega following a speech to the St. John’s Board of Trade
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Gil Bennett: fact checker #nlpoli
Gil Bennett, Nalcor vice-president in charge of the Lower Churchill project, took some exceptions to comments in yesterdays posts on Muskrat Falls and electricity prices. Rather than go back and deal with his comments in a re-write of the original post, let’s deal with Bennett’s comments here and link the
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Nalcor: the power of hubris #nlpoli
On the last electricity bill to arrive Chez Scribbler, the price per kilowatt hour was a little over 11 cents, all in. On Wednesday, Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro applied to the public utilities board for a six percent reduction in electricity rates pending a thorough review of electricity prices now
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Comparative Hydro Costs #nlpoli
Konrad Yakabuski’ s column in the Monday Globe is an interesting one for people in Newfoundland and Labrador for a couple of reasons. ‘ First of all, Yakabuski pointed out the “broader credibility problem facing all of Canada’s provincially owned electric utilities.” Second of all, for all those people in
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Muskrat Falls more than $8.3 billion: Nalcor #nlpoli
Prompted by Wednesday’s post on Muskrat Falls costs, a couple of readers drew your humble e-scribbler’s attention to a tidy little briefing note posted on the Nalcor website. It’s not really obvious – some might say it is buried – but if you going looking you can find it and
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Just do the math: Wiseman confirms Muskrat Falls cost at $7.3 billion #nlpoli
Twitter sometimes produces some gems. Like on Tuesday when Tom Baird, a mathematics professor at Memorial pointed out that the province’s finance minister had a wee bit of a problem with basic math. “Just do the math,” Ross Wiseman told Liberal leader Dwight Ball during Question Period on Monday. “
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: International expert on key Muskrat Falls feature to deliver public talk #nlpoli
People interested in one of the big geological uncertainties that could affect the Muskrat Falls dam will have a chancer to hear from an international expert later this month. Dr. Stig Bernander,an international expert on quick clay landslides, will deliver a public talk at the LSPU Hall, on Victoria Street,
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: The Vision Thing #nlpoli
The St. John’s Board of Trade is about the only business advocacy group in the world that doesn’t actually believe in free enterprise. The Board doesn’t believe that government should control public debt. They claim they are worried about it, but in practice the Board will shout with joy the
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Nalcor and the Eff In Way #nlpoli
Over at Uncle Gnarley, JM’s at it again with the first of a two-parter on Nalcor and its problems with forecasting for Muskrat Falls. Nalcor assumed that they would get 830 megawatts of electricity out of Muskrat Falls in the winter months when demand is highest. That’s the number they
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