Astaldi wins US$ 940 million hydroelectric contract

Italian contractor Astaldi has been awarded a CA$ 1 billion (US$ 940 million) civil works contract for the 824 MW Muskrat Falls hydroelectric development in Canada.

The development is located on the lower Churchill River in the province of Labrador, and Astaldi’s four-year contract involves construction of the power house, intake and gated spillway.

The contractor said it was also negotiating with state-owned developer Nalcor Energy to win the contract to construct the project’s 750 m long dam.

Muskrat Falls is the first of a two-phase plan to harness the hydroelectric potential of the lower Churchill River.

Phase two will consist of the development of the 2,250 MW Gull Island generation facility further downstream, construction of which is scheduled to start in three years.