Back-up generator hooked up to province's electricity grid

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro says it has beefed up its electricity system by successfully connecting its back-up generator to the grid.

The Crown corporation said there may be brief power outages over the next week, as testing continues on the $120 million generator.

"Hydro does not anticipate any issues meeting customer demand in the days ahead. Our existing generation fleet across the province is performing well and reserves remain strong," a news release read.

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The system is meant to be used in case of emergencies or when additional power is needed for the province's power grid.

Hydro attempted to synchronize the system over the weekend, but ran into trouble when it needed to replace a part, delaying the process by a few days. 

Once up and running, the turbine in Holyrood will add 123.5 mega watts of capacity to the system.

"It is considered a peaking plant and will be used for high demand and emergency periods."

The corporation had hoped to complete the turbine in December, but there was a delay in the arrival of various components and inclement weather hindered progress.