April 27, 2020: Muskrat Falls Project update
We’re actively monitoring and addressing the evolving COVID-19 pandemic and the potential risks to our people, our communities, and site operations. Due to the pandemic, Nalcor continues to assess the situation, as information becomes available and federal and provincial government actions and directives materialize, to understand the overall impacts project wide.
Muskrat Falls generation project
With construction work at Muskrat Falls paused we’re maintaining essential systems and operations at the site. The workforce during the care and maintenance period is responsible for spillway operations and dam safety monitoring; site services such as medical, safety, security, catering and accommodations; and, monitoring the facilities such as heating, lighting, and dewatering/pumping systems. Only those individuals who are essential in maintaining the site are working at Muskrat Falls.
Labrador-Island Link (LIL) transmission project
Software development work for LIL is continuing at GE Grid’s facility in Stafford, UK. To date the Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) testing is proceeding and no issues have been identified related to remote participation (please refer to link below for additional information). In late March commissioning activities on the synchronous condensers at the Soldiers Pond site was suspended and the site was placed into care and maintenance mode.
Latest update to the PUB
Today, we provided our regular update to the Public Utilities Board (PUB) on how things are progressing on a number of areas within the project. Please click here for additional information provided to the PUB.
As a result of the ongoing uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nalcor is unable to provide a reliable forecast date for the key milestones that have not yet been achieved and the full impact on both the final forecast cost and schedule is still unknown.
Safety measures
Nalcor has put a number of measures in place to ensure people’s health and safety while protecting the community. These include temperature checks before travelling and while at site, pre-screening questionnaires, on-site screening and monitoring, flight and bus travel protocols, and physical distancing to name a few measures.
More information on the safety measures in place is available at the links below:
Muskrat Falls site COVID-19 Incident Response Plan
Muskrat Falls site COVID-19 On Site Safety Measures
Muskrat Falls site COVID-19 Temperature Surveillance Protocol
Muskrat Falls site COVID-19 Screening Questionnaire
Muskrat Falls site COVID-19 Quarantine Plan
Muskrat Falls site COVID-19 Airline Travel Protocols
Muskrat Falls site COVID-19 Bus Travel Protocols
