Muskrat Falls powerhouse leaks oil, Nalcor says spill is contained

A turbine inside the powerhouse at the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project leaked oil on Wednesday, but Nalcor says it is not a risk to travel down the Churchill River.

According to a release from Nalcor, the cause of the spill is still unknown. A stop-work order has been given to Andritz, the contractor responsible for the turbine, while the cleanup and investigation are ongoing.

The turbine bearing contains a maximum of 960 litres of oil, and Nalcor said much of it is still inside. It estimates the amount of fuel spilled was much less than the maximum volume.

A sheen is visible in the channel below the powerhouse.

A boom was deployed, and a Nalcor spokesperson said the oil is expected to remain contained inside the channel.

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