Bennet Touring NTL
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Swath cut for Northwest Transmission Line visible from Skeena River, west of Terrace – photo 250News
Terrace, B.C. – Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennet is in Terrace today for the first of a three day tour of the northwest.
In particular, hw will be taking a first hand look at the Northwest Transmission Line (NTL) project and the Forest Kerr run of river power project on the Iskut river which will feed into the NTL. The NTL project costs have far exceeded initial estimates, and BC Hydro now says the project will likely cost around $736 million, up from the original estimate of $404 million.
BC Hydro has blamed the hike on unexpected higher than predicted costs for drilling and blasting, costs which have turned out to be about 10 times the original estimate. The increase is also said to be a result in the economic activity in the region which has made labour and supplies much more expensive because there is a higher demand.
The NTL is expected to be operational next spring, The Red Chris Mine project has timed it’s own completion to coincide with the completion of the NTL.
In addition to addressing the Terrace City Council, he will meet with the Terrace District Chamber of Commerce and First Nations Leaders.
Comments
For a miscalculation of some $332 Million there should be an investigation to ascertain responsibility, and then some corrective action taken.
The buck (supposedly) stops at the top.
We should keep in mind that it wasn’t that long ago that BC Hydro set up the BC Transmission Corp., and after about six years folded it back into BC Hydro. This cost us something in the area of $65 Million.u
Seems the wasting of millions of dollars has little or no effect on Hydro, as we the taxpayer/busniness’s always get the opportunity to pick up the tab.
Not so **smart** meters would be another example of wasted dollars.
Palopu this is small potatoes compared to the 54 billion or so in contracts signed with IPP’s. Also consider Site C has to be built probably for another 10 billion as base load for the IPP’s.
IPP’s, very expensive power the source of out rising bills.
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