'I better get cracking,' says Muskrat Falls inquiry commissioner as hearings wrap

As the sweeping inquiry into thecontroversial, over-budget Muskrat Falls hydro dam wrapped up, the commissioner overseeing it all had some strong words for himself.

"I better get cracking," said Richard LeBlanc, who is leading the independent inquiry into the cost andschedule overruns of the $12.7-billion dam on the Lower Churchill River.

LeBlanc made the final remarks afterlawyers for politicians, project executives, contractors and interest groups presented final oral submissions.

"I have a large amount of work to do in a relatively short period of time and the pressure is on and I'm certainly feeling it," he said Thursday.

"I don't think it's appropriate for me to request any form of extension at this time, and I'm not going to do that. I think for all parties, including my own sanity, I think the date of Dec.31 is an adequate one."

That's the date by which LeBlanc is expected to deliver his final report on the inquiry.

The 824-megawatt hydroelectric dam, being developed by the Crown-owned Nalcor Energy, will send power to Newfoundland and later Nova Scotia through subsea cables.

The project has essentially doubled its costs since it was sanctioned in 2012 and is now years behind schedule.

The lawyer for Premier Dwight Ball spoke Thursday, reiterating the premier's testimony that his Liberal government had no choice but to finish the project after being elected in 2015.

Hearings began last September, as high-level officials and consultants took the stand, with some suggesting costs were intentionally downplayed.

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