VICTORIA — The Interior to Lower Mainland transmission line was completed more than a year late and almost $150 million over budget, says New Democrat spokesperson on B.C. Hydro Adrian Dix.

“Christy Clark’s government continues to prove their failure to perform on major hydro projects,” said Dix. “This past spring, the government reluctantly admitted to contracting disputes, poor processes, failed steel and a year-long delay on this project.”

Dix said the government tried to mislead rate payers at Friday’s announcement. According to Minister Bennett, the final cost of the project was $18 million over-budget, coming in at $743 million. In fact, the project was budgeted at $600 million originally, putting it $143 million over – a massive overrun.

“This is only one of the many transmission line projects that has run over budget under Christy Clark’s government,” says Dix. “Budgets have been missed by up to 81 per cent and roughly $540 million on the Northwest Transmission Line, Dawson Creek/Chetwynd line, Iskut Extension, and now the Interior-Lower Mainland transmission line. We can’t afford to keep paying more for Christy Clark’s project mismanagement.”