A federal loan guarantee to develop the Lower Churchill hydroelectric project could be just around the corner. Premier Kathy Dunderdale says that Prime Minister Stephen Harper has proposed conditions for the loan guarantee, all of which will be met. Dunderdale notes that Harper’s questions about Muskrat Falls focused mostly on the economics of the project. She expects a loan guarantee to be achieved soon. Harper arrives in the province tomorrow, at which time Dunderdale hopes to meet with him to discuss Muskrat Falls. Meanwhile, the provincial Liberals accuse the government of underestimating the construction costs of developing the project — and overestimating the demand for electricity. Leader Yvonne Jones scoffs at government estimates which suggest that power use will rise by about a third over the next six years.
