Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro is today providing customers with an update on the new combustion turbine (CT) being constructed in Holyrood.

Hydro has been working through a careful commissioning plan to ensure the safe execution of work on-site and the long term reliability of the combustion turbine plant. The company and its contractors are taking a staged approach to bringing the plant online to ensure that customer impacts are minimized or eliminated.

Over the past week and through the weekend, Hydro has worked through several stages of testing as part of its commissioning plan and this work is expected to be completed today. Once complete, the next step will be energization or powering of the plant from the grid. Based on current weather conditions and the forecast high winds, Hydro is making the prudent and safe decision to proceed with energization when there is an appropriate weather window to conduct this work.

Hydro is working closely with Newfoundland Power and will provide updates to customers as we proceed with the energization of the plant and work through the subsequent stages of bringing the CT online to the electricity grid.

Hydro, through its Energy Control Centre, is always monitoring generation availability and projected customer demands to be prepared and keep customers informed of any significant changes. Over the coming seven day forecast period, Hydro has the required generation available to meet customer demand with strong reserves. During the past week, Hydro has met peak demand from customers in excess of 1600 MW on several occasions with existing generation and generation in reserve.

Hydro is committed to keeping customers and the public informed and is taking appropriate steps to minimize or eliminate any customer impact during the commissioning of the new CT and to ensure it provides customers long-term reliable service.