Skip to main content

Blackouts after Muskrat Falls transmission line test in Labrador fails

The Nalcor Energy Lower Churchill Project Soldiers Pond site, pictured on June 27, 2018. Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro confirmed Friday the failure of a test of its transmission line that links the dam with the island of Newfoundland. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Daly The Nalcor Energy Lower Churchill Project Soldiers Pond site, pictured on June 27, 2018. Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro confirmed Friday the failure of a test of its transmission line that links the dam with the island of Newfoundland. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Daly
Share
ST. JOHN'S, N.L. -

The Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project in Labrador has run into more problems.

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro has confirmed the failure of a test of its transmission line that links the hydroelectric dam with the island of Newfoundland.

The line, known as the Labrador-Island Link, was expected to carry a heavy load during the test, but something went wrong.

The utility issued a statement on Facebook saying the system was tripped by something called underfrequency load shedding, which happens when there is a sudden imbalance between generation and demand.

Thousands of businesses and households lost power for about 30 minutes.

The Muskrat Falls project is five years behind schedule and its total projected cost, originally pegged at $7.4-billion, has since grown to $13.1 billion as of September 2020.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 25, 2022.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

opinion

opinion Why the new U.S. administration won't have much time for us

In a column for CTVNews.ca, former Conservative Party political advisor and strategist Rudy Husny says that when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau goes to the G-20 summit next week, it will look more like his goodbye tour.

U.S. Congress hosts second round of UFO hearings

The U.S. government held another UFO hearing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, the second such hearing in 16 months. This hearing was billed as an attempt by congress to provide a better understanding of what is known about previous sightings of UFOs, also known as UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena).

Stay Connected