Nalcor pressured to reveal Muskrat contract details

A Liberal MHA wants Newfoundland and Labrador's Crown energy corporation to report the value of contracts it has awarded for construction work on Muskrat Falls.

Yvonne Jones, who represents the southern Labrador district of Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair, said Nalcor should reveal the value of such contracts, and that it is the sort of information that the provincial and federal governments normally report.

Nalcor hasrefused to disclose the information, arguing that releasing it could drive up costs on future Muskrat contracts.

But Jones said the argument does not make sense.

"The work is done, the contracts are completed, so I don't know why it would be sensitive at this stage," Jones told CBC News.

"We think there should be full disclosure. There needs to be more transparency around this project."

Even though Muskrat Falls has yet to receive government sanctionthe authorization that will give the multi-billion-dollar hydroelectric project the proverbial green lightNalcor has spent more than $30 million so far on construction work related to the project.

Nalcor says it started clearing land and building roads because waiting until next year would push back the overall project.

Jones said citizens deserve more than knowing the overall value of work done to date.

"In many cases, we don't know who the companies are that are receiving these contracts, we don't know the amounts the contracts are being awarded forall we know is a lump-sum amount has been spent," she said.