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Tuesday 21 January 2014

NALCOR'S INADEQUATE REPLY TO OVERSIGHT ISSUES AT MUSKRAT FALLS

Nalcor has responded to the serious issues raised by the January 20th, 2014 Uncle Gnarley Post entitled MUSKRAT FALLS "ON ICE": NEWS FROM THE FIELD.
  

This Link will take you to Nalcor's Statement from Lower Churchill Project Vice-President, Gilbert Bennett.  You will note that it fails to answer these questions: was the road to the construction site plowed?  Was the fuel truck prevented from delivering the essential fuel with which to run the pumps at the huge excavation site?  Did the dewatering pumps run out of fuel? Was there a failure of management on the Project?

These are the fundamental questions.  

Nalcor can blame Astaldi Canada for the oversight as it pleases (as they are apparently trying to do), but the public needs to know if the pumps unexpectedly shut down as its reference to “negligible ice buildup”, in Bennett's reply, seems to confirm.  Please advise us if that is what occurred.

Are there now discussions between Nalcor and Astaldi Canada about the financial or other fall-out from this event?

I would hasten to inform Nalcor that regardless of its relationship with Astaldi Canada, Nalcor is responsible for everything that happens on the Muskrat Falls site.

On that point, I am obligated to note that  SNC-Lavalin was awarded a Contract to deliver engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services for the Muskrat Falls project.  Management of snow clearing, if not the pumping systems, too, would normally fall within the scope of such management services.  

Are rumours of SNC-Lavalin's departure from the Muskrat Falls Site overstated?  

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Related Reading on Uncle Gnarley Blog regarding world class experts:    

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P.S. Astaldi Canada, Welcome to Labrador