21 July 2011

Bullshit then or now? Nalcor boss changes story on natural gas and Muskrat megadebt project

Ed Martin dismisses the idea that natural gas might be a sensible replacement for burning Bunker C at Holyrood.

Here’s the whole story from VOCM in the event they disappear it:

Nalcor has considered - and rejected - the use of liquefied natural gas at the Holyrood generating station as an alternative to Bunker C oil. Because of the current and projected cost of oil, Newfoundland and Labrador's energy corporation has decided to develop Muskrat Falls hydroelectric power on the Lower Churchill River.

Nalcor CEO Ed Martin, speaking on VOCM Open Line with Randy Simms on Tuesday, said the corporation would have to construct a plant to liquefy the natural gas, which is a very costly venture. The other alternative is to tap in to the international market for natural gas and have tankers, which are supplying markets abroad, offload material for Holyrood.

But from the that was then, this is now file, Martin didn’t always think that way.

A mere seven months ago, Martin sang a very different tune.

Back then, turning natural gas to electricity was one of the great opportunities that lay in building a line from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia. The Telegram covered Martin’s speech to the Board of Trade

Many of those opportunities flow from the Maritime link connecting the island portion of the province with the rest of the North American electrical grid.

One example: the possibility of generating electricity from natural gas, also known as gas-to-wire. It’s also an alternative to building pipelines to export natural gas.

So the question is:  was Ed Martin bullshitting in December or is he bullshitting now?

- srbp -