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Damaged generator raises prospect of rotating blackouts in Newfoundland

The view of the Holyrood power plant from Seal Cove. The facility is in for a major change, with or without Muskrat Falls. — Photo by Steve Bartlett/The Telegram

The view of the Holyrood power plant from Seal Cove. The facility is in for a major change, with or without Muskrat Falls. — Photo by Steve Bartlett/The Telegram

Published on January 22, 2013
Published on January 22, 2013
The Canadian Press  RSS Feed
Topics :
Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro , Newfoundland Power , Newfoundland

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro says a major generator is out of service for the winter, raising the prospect of rotating blackouts if demand for power can’t be managed.

One of three generators at the main Holyrood generating plant was damaged in an intense blizzard earlier this month.

Jim Haynes, vice-president of regulated operations, says the company can usually meet power demand in winter with two generators and other power sources.

But as a precaution, he says Hydro may ask residential and commercial customers to cut use at peak times.

Highest demand is usually on cold, windy days between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., and between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. from December to March.

Haynes says if demand can’t be reduced through conservation, the company will work with Newfoundland Power to rotate short blackouts at peak times.

Comments

  • Username
    Brittany
    - January 23, 2013 at 10:58:03

    Or you can stop complaining and try to use less power for the whole 4 hours a day that they asked eat a later dinner at 630 or 7pm and don't leave you coffee pot on after you make coffee in the morning unplug charges not in use like really conservation is something we should be doing anyway. So stop bitching and start sloving!

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  • Username
    Cold Future
    - January 23, 2013 at 08:28:54

    And while all this is happening our government is creating legislation to create and prop up a monopoly and prevent private entities from building generating facilities to provide reliable and competitively priced power which will permit the people and businesses in this province from being competitive with the rest of Canada. A communications cable mentality seems to have taken us over?!?!?!?

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  • Username
    Whaddaya At ?
    - January 22, 2013 at 23:29:36

    Mr. Haynes, Hydro VP, is rather blase about this very serious issue, isn't he ?. He says if conservation doesn't work, Hydro will work with NL Power to rotate short blackouts at peak times, ie., on cold, windy days. That's just dandy, isn't it ?. Does he realize what he's saying ?. Our winters are among the windiest and coldest in Canada and he's expecting us to sit in our homes, by candlelight, bundled up to keep warm, during rotating blackouts ?. We're not gonna put up with that crap, Mr. Haynes, and heads should roll at NL Hydro.

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    • Username
      John in Whitbourne
      - January 23, 2013 at 13:54:32

      Have you talked to anyone who buys data communications services in quantity since the Persona cable was installed ? The Province has recovered the $10 Million investment all ready due to increased competition in the telecom industry that lowered access prices. There will never be a need to actually use the fibers that are owned by the province because Bell Aliant no longer has a monopoly on transmission across the Gulf of St Lawrence (or across the Island). The same technical advances that make FibreOp feasible also increase the capacity of most optical cables by hundreds of times (Wave Division Multiplexing).

  • Username
    Jason
    - January 22, 2013 at 23:03:29

    if i was a conspiracy nut i'd think this is a mighty convenient ploy to shake peoples confidence in the power supply and bring favor to muskrat falls...

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  • Username
    Anon
    - January 22, 2013 at 20:00:50

    Sounds like an excuse to justify the rate hike. Can't believe there isn't a back up.

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  • Username
    Again?
    - January 22, 2013 at 19:53:11

    If the 3rd generator is having unavoidable mechanical issues then fine - when the power goes out were not charged for power we don't get. But in the meantime, is a credit being set up and prorated to account for the inconvenience of no power for unknown durations. i can use my little RV generator to power up the small things like fridges, TV's and small heaters but it burns gas. can i credit that $$ towards my next light bill. Another issue I see i when the power is on regularly, the electric heaters are all cutting in / out as required, most likely not all on at the same time, but once the power is out for a few hours and the house has cooled down, so when the power is back on all the heaters will be on catch up mode until the heat in the house is restored again - burning more electricty - how is this saving for the power plant or for the residential consumer. Electric heat is most effecient when set at room temperature and left alone, but when the power is off / on it could cost us more fo the random power outages. Costomer Beware!!!

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  • Username
    Susan
    - January 22, 2013 at 19:47:05

    Edmund, David and Paul and Michael. Just another group of nimrods with a hidden agenda out to persecute the executive at Nalcor. This current system has been in place for years, and is quite old. Hence, we need a new power source which is NOW being developed. In addition we will be connected to a new grid via the Maritime link so we will be able to IMPORT power in the case of outages. You people need to pluck your head out and realize a new system is needed and the current Nalcor team (all from the private sector with extensive backgrounds) are doing a great job.

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  • Username
    BM
    - January 22, 2013 at 19:41:42

    I think it's just a way to promote the need for muskrat falls! And I'm with SC, I see a propane range in my very near future and a heavy generator.

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  • Username
    Bob
    - January 22, 2013 at 18:30:36

    Keep your ears and eyes open people.... It appears to me that this is the beginning of a scheme to gain public support for muskrat falls! Youll hear in the coming weeks "once muskrat falls is up and running this wont be an issue"

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  • Username
    Jack
    - January 22, 2013 at 17:15:01

    Since the Holyrood Generating Facilities supplies only 15% - 25% of the province's electricity, why would a generator outage at Holyrood impact the entire island? Keep in mind that Nalcor has other major power generating facilities with similar or higher capacity levels, notably Bay d'Espoir whom has a 604 Megawatt capacity compared to Holyrood's 490 Megawatts.

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    • Username
      Fred Penner
      - January 23, 2013 at 09:07:36

      Hi Jack...good question.....research voltage stabilty for the answer!

  • Username
    t
    - January 22, 2013 at 16:49:04

    What better opportunity could they have to get people onboard for Muskrat Falls? Make sure there are power outages every time a snowflake falls or a wind blows, and people with think we surely must need Muskrat Falls, after all.

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  • Username
    Nancy
    - January 22, 2013 at 16:42:23

    And you want a rate increase? Not a chance.

    Submit a comment

  • Username
    Again?
    - January 22, 2013 at 16:33:24

    If the 3rd generator is having unavoidable mechanical issues then fine - when the power goes out were not charged for power we don't get. But in the meantime, is a credit being set up and prorated to account for the inconvenience of no power for unknown durations. i can use my little RV generator to power up the small things like fridges, TV's and small heaters but it burns gas. can i credit that $$ towards my next light bill. Another issue I see i when the power is on regularly, the electric heaters are all cutting in / out as required, most likely not all on at the same time, but once the power is out for a few hours and the house has cooled down, so when the power is back on all the heaters will be on catch up mode until the heat in the house is restored again - burning more electricty - how is this saving for the power plant or for the residential consumer. Electric heat is most effecient when set at room temperature and left alone, but when the power is off / on it could cost us more fo the random power outages. Costomer Beware!!!

    Submit a comment

  • Username
    Jack
    - January 22, 2013 at 16:20:05

    In order to ensure the province's energy security and economy, Nalcor should be forced to fix the generator now and not hold the island hostage for two months. Especially ashamed at Premier Dunderdale for not forcing Nalcor to address this problem as soon as possible.

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  • Username
    Calvin
    - January 22, 2013 at 16:14:50

    Yes, the utilities incompetence is what caused this generator to fail. Get a clue folks, generators break down the same as cars and microwaves. If either of you three posters had a little understanding of electrical generation you would know that any one of 1000 things that could go wrong has, and no amount of maintenance can prevent unforseen circumstances. For example, a generator of this size would have thousands upon thousands of windings (copper or aluminum wires wrapped around a rotor or stator which are used to induce electricity through a magnetic field). If a short or a ground occurs in even one of these windings, the generator is out of commission. It could take months to have the generator re-wound, or even longer to replace to the generator. I would like to know what kind of preventative maintenance you suggest a company can do to prevent this type of problem in a generaotr? Before you start spewing sensless propaganda I will tell you, there is no maintenance to prevent this type of issue, accidents happen, so try and look past your own face for a minute before you start bad mouthing our electricity providers. Despite what you think, they are not out to get us or to make our lives more difficult.

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  • Username
    skipper
    - January 22, 2013 at 16:10:17

    Who is head of nfld and Lab. hydro some unqualified govt. appointee.Or is it all a scam to try and prove a need for Muskrat Falls.Any co. even if it is run by an idiot would have a back up if not get a qualified person to run the company .

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  • Username
    Maurice E. Adams
    - January 22, 2013 at 16:00:12

    So if "peak demand" is USUALLY met by using only 66% of Holyrood's capacity (2 of 3 generators), isn't therefore more than 200 MW of Holyrood's "NET" capacity of 466 MW pretty much UNUSED?..........Where is the urgent need therefore for a 10 BILLION dollar Muskrat Falls project?

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  • Username
    Edmund
    - January 22, 2013 at 15:55:19

    Not good enough!!!! Hydro should be ashamed to admit that they have no backup for such occurrances. Obviously the high paid executives are more worried about how they are going to increase their already FAT pay cheques instead of doing their jobs and show us, the rate payers and payers of their salaries, that they are prepared for our severe winters or don't they realize that we have winter, BIG storms and LOTS of wind - HELLO. Their performance is dispicable to say the least. Those folk fortunate enough to have gas generators, solar power and wind generated power are better off and maybe the rest of us should follow suit until we get a utility committed to providing us with a product that works complete with back up for those "what if" situations. And they are looking for us to give them more money for their service - NOT

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  • Username
    sc
    - January 22, 2013 at 15:52:16

    So, we're being asked to pay more for electricity at the same time when the supply of it is uncertain. I don't care if it's NL Hydro or NL Power that's responsible for a (potential) decline in service. NL Power is responsible for providing power and if it can't do so because of antiquated, broken down equipment at Holyrood it needs to hold NL Hydro financially responsible. On a positive note, I suppose we should take some comfort knowing that according to NL Hydro there might be rotating blackouts only during periods when it's cold and/or windy. Fortunately those weather conditions hardly ever occur in NL during the winter. A propane fireplace and stove is looking better and better all the time.

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  • Username
    Frankly
    - January 22, 2013 at 15:51:34

    Sure gee, we're already having rotating blackouts. Every time there's weather, it seems!!! Time to mothball this place and it's management.

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  • Username
    Paul
    - January 22, 2013 at 15:47:09

    I agree with David. I do not see how this could be unforeseen. Regular maintenance should have caught onto this long before now. Having to cut down on electricity this time of the year is inexcusable and someone's head should roll over it. Proverbially speaking of course.

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    • Username
      Fred Penner
      - January 22, 2013 at 20:06:13

      What if regular maintenance was performed and the breakdown happened anyway? Will heads roll over the breakdown of a worn-out generator?

  • Username
    christina
    - January 22, 2013 at 15:42:09

    Seriously? as if winter isn't bad enough

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  • Username
    david
    - January 22, 2013 at 15:38:24

    And these are the same incompetent government-tainted boobs who will design, build and run Muskrat Falls better? Really?

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