"Premier Dexter is wrong and he knows it."
Progressive Conservative leader Jamie Baillie says it’s
Premier Darrell Dexter’s job to look out for Nova Scotia families and he
must immediately stop ducking his responsibilities and initiate a
cost-benefit analysis of the Lower Churchill megaproject.
When questioned today about the Province’s role in a cost-benefit
analysis, the Premier said, “It's not the intention of the government to
carry out any kind of study like that because that responsibility lies
with the Utility and Review Board.”
In a news release, Baillie says, “Premier Dexter is wrong and he knows it.
The type of study that’s needed goes well beyond what the UARB would do,”
said Baillie. “It is the responsibility of the Nova Scotia government to make
sure this is the best deal for Nova Scotia families. The NDP are brushing that off
onto the UARB and that’s plain wrong.”
The government of Nova Scotia has no plans to conduct its own cost-benefit analysis of the proposed $6.2-billion Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project in Labrador, Premier Darrell Dexter said Thursday.
``Why would we go to the expense of doing that when it's going to be done in an appropriate forum before the Utility and Review Board?'' Dexter said.
``It's their responsibility to do that and my assumption is that they will.''
Dexter's comments come one day after a review by Manitoba Hydro International concluded that Muskrat Falls is the cheapest option for Newfoundland and Labrador's future energy needs - but not without risk, citing fluctuating world market demands and pricing variables among other factors.
Under a term sheet reached in November 2010, Nova Scotia private utility Emera (TSX:EMA) would fund a 180-kilometre subsea link between Cape Ray, N.L., and Lingan, N.S., at a cost of $1.2 billion.
A further $2.1 billion would be spent to build a transmission link from Labrador to Newfoundland, $600 million of which would be provided by Emera.
Nalcor Energy, Newfoundland and Labrador's Crown energy company, would spend $2.9 billion to build a power generating facility at Muskrat Falls capable of producing 824 megawatts of electricity.
“The NDP are moving ahead with investments without proving that Nova
Scotians are getting value for their money,” said Baillie. “The cost of
this megaproject cannot be an afterthought.”
Baillie says a PC government will put all megaprojects and electricity
generation options through a thorough analysis and share the results
with all Nova Scotians.
