Emera mum on talks to get Churchill power to N.S., U.S.
Emera Inc. is declining comment on whether a deal is imminent with Newfoundland’s Nalcor Energy on the proposed $6.5-billion Lower Churchill hydroelectric project in Labrador.
Over the weekend, Premier Danny Williams of Newfoundland and Labrador said talks continued between Emera and his province’s Crown-owned agency.
Williams said the project would likely be completed in two phases with the help of Halifax-based Emera and that he planned to make an announcement "sooner rather than later."
Emera spokeswoman Sasha Irving confirmed Monday that talks are ongoing with Newfoundland and Labrador, and New Brunswick on an energy link.
"When we have something that we are able to announce, certainly we will be happy to do that and provide details," said Irving.
Emera’s subsidiary, Nova Scotia Power Inc., has been talking with Nalcor about a subsea cable to carry electricity to Nova Scotia and the U.S. market since a memorandum of understanding was signed in January 2008.
Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador have also asked Ottawa for $375 million for the project from a federal fund for public-private projects.
Nova Scotia Energy Minister Bill Estabrooks said although he isn’t involved in the negotiations between the two utilities, he recognizes the talks are central to getting all the "moving parts" of the project off the ground.
"They are the key particularly when it comes to finances," said Estabrooks.
Meanwhile, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Liberal Opposition called on Williams on Monday to release details on any deal, saying "secrecy on this file doesn’t cut it."
"Taking just any deal doesn’t mean it’s a good deal," Kelvin Parsons, the Liberal party’s interim leader, said in a news release.
"I hope the premier is not grasping at straws just for the optics of him keeping his promise to cut a deal on this project."
The cost of the cable project hasn’t been revealed, although a study by SNC-Lavalin for the Nova Scotia government estimated the price tag at $800 million to $1.2 billion.
The Newfoundland and Labrador government vowed to seek an alternate route to get Lower Churchill power to the U.S. after losing a four-year battle with Quebec about moving electricity through that province. In May, Quebec’s energy board ruled that Hydro-Quebec was entitled to refuse to negotiate a contract with Nalcor Energy.
‘Taking just any deal doesn’t mean it’s a good deal. I hope the premier is not grasping at straws just for the optics of him keeping his promise to cut a deal on this project’
Interim N.L. Liberal Party leader
KELVIN PARSONShttp://www.thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1208808.html
No comments:
Post a Comment