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Newfoundland and Labrador’s Electric Reliability Framework

A product of the Energy Mines Ministers’ Conference

Newfoundland and Labrador’s Fast Facts (2015) 
Installed Capacity Footnote 1 7,644 MW
Annual GenerationFootnote 2 42,220 GWh
Annual Consumption 11,240 GWh
Customers ~ 300,150
Annual Exports ~ 30,293 GWh
Annual Imports 24.6 GWh
Transmission System length Footnote 3 (≥ 66 kV) 5,800 km + 700 km
Interconnections with Quebec

  Installed Capacity Mix (2016)Footnote 4

Text version of Pie Chart

Pie Chart showing Newfoundland and Labrador’s installed capacity mix (2016): hydro 88%, petroleum diesel 11%, and others less than 1%

Key Organizations

The Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Natural Resources is responsible for the stewardship and development of the province's natural resources. The Department’s Energy Branch has responsibility for legislative, regulatory and policy functions related to the oil and gas and electric utility sectors.

The Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities (PUB) is an independent, quasi-judicial regulatory body appointed by the Lieutenant- Governor in Council. The PUB operates primarily under the authority of the Public Utilities Act, R.S.N. 1990. The PUB is the regulator of Newfoundland and Labrador’s electric utilities and is responsible for ensuring that the electricity rates charged to consumers are just and reasonable, and the electrical service provided is safe and reliable.

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro (NLH) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of crown corporation Nalcor Energy, which is the Province’s energy corporation. NLH generates and delivers electricity to utility, industrial, residential and commercial customers in over 200 communities in the province. The corporation’s primary customer groups are: NP, industrial customers; and residential and commercial customers in rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

Newfoundland Power (NP) is an investor-owned subsidiary of Fortis Inc. and operates an integrated generation, transmission and distribution system throughout the island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador. The company services 87% of all electricity consumers in the province. The company operates 23 hydro plants, two diesel plants, three gas turbine facilities, 130 substations and approximately 11,000 km of transmission and distribution lines.

Electric Reliability Framework in Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador’s bulk electric system presently includes the Island Interconnected System, which is isolated from the rest of North America, and the Labrador Interconnected System which shares an interconnection with Quebec. The two systems are currently isolated from one another. Upon completion of the HVDC Labrador Island Link and the Maritime Link which are currently under construction, the two systems will be interconnected and the Island of Newfoundland will be interconnected to the North American Bulk Electric System.

Provincial reliability is presently governed by voluntarily-adopted electric reliability practices developed by NLH and NP based on standard industry practices with review oversight exercised by the PUB. As part of ensuring electric reliability, the PUB is responsible for reviewing and approving the utilities’ annual capital budgets.

Upon completion of the Maritime Link and the Muskrat Falls Project, which includes the Muskrat Falls Generating Facility, the Labrador Island Link, and the Labrador Transmission Assets, the Island portion of the province will be interconnected for the first time with the North American bulk electric system via Labrador and Nova Scotia. Interconnection will enable exports and imports to achieve greater value from provincial electrical generation and enable improved electric system reliability.

Newfoundland and Labrador is presently contemplating ways to ensure the appropriate reliability standards are in place following interconnection, and assessing the implications of North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and Northeast Power Coordinating Council (NPCC) membership and standards implementation as well as any reliability oversight roles that may change following interconnection.

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