NB Power reports oil spill at Mactaquac

NB Power is reporting a spill of approximately 2,650 litres of Teresso46lubricating oil into the St. John River after a valve malfunctioned at the Mactaquac generating station on Tuesday.

The utility said the oil is non-hazardous and biodegradable, has low eco-toxicity and is not expected to be harmful to aquatic organisms.

"While the material released would have quickly dissipated, we are advising the public out of respect for those who live and work near the river," said KeithCronkhite, vice president of generation and business development for NB Power in a statement.

NB Power said the concentration in the river would have been one part per million within minutes of the spill,with the concentration further diminishing quickly over time, based on the river flows at the time.

At the time of the spill, the St. John River flows at the station were 707,872 litres per second.

Some of the oil was contained on site and a licensed contractor is recovering an undetermined amount of oil from the river.

NB Power said the spill was reported to federal and provincial environmental authorities, as well as to Kingsclear First Nation.