Convenient timing

Principled Skinner announces a "supplemental review", or, as the Premier might call it, an "audit", of one component of the Muskrat Falls proposal:

As part of the comprehensive evaluation process to move the development of Muskrat Falls and the Labrador Island Link projects to final sanction, the Provincial Government has asked the Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities (PUB) to provide a supplemental review of the process used to determine that Muskrat Falls represents the least-cost option for the supply of power to Island Interconnected Customers compared to the Isolated Island development option.

“The Lower Churchill project is the most significant electrical generation and transmission project undertaken by this province in 50 years, and it is important to engage the PUB in a review of the fundamental question about developing the least-cost option to meet our energy needs,” said the Honourable Shawn Skinner, Minister of Natural Resources. “Our government chose to request this review to provide another perspective on the soundness of the assumptions and principles used in the analysis. This review is one element of fulfilling best practice processes aimed at ensuring this investment decision benefits from rigorous input from multiple sources prior to sanction.”

The PUB will initiate a review on the development of the Muskrat Falls generation facility and the Labrador-Island Link transmission line as the least-cost option to supply power to the Island compared to the Isolated Island development option, and will establish the process for this review including public engagement. The report will be submitted by December 30, 2011, in time for input into the sanction decision, and will be made public as part of the sanction decision process.

The provincial election will be held on October 11th, 2011.