FREDERICTON - New Brunswick's energy minister says there are rumours of further delays in the refurbishment of the Point Lepreau nuclear power plant and he wants answers from the federal government.

Jack Keir sent a letter to federal Natural Resources Minister Christian Paradis on Monday asking him to confirm or deny the rumours.

"In August and September 2009, similar rumoured delays became commonly known and discussed," Keir wrote. "But it was not until a meeting on Sept. 15, 2009, that Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., formally acknowledged that there were quantifiable delays and put a specific timeline to them."

He went on to write "it is unacceptable and dysfunctional that information continues to reach NB Power and the provincial government through rumours and gossip."

Keir is asking Paradis to direct Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., to provide a clear timeline to the people of New Brunswick.

The upgrade -- with an original cost of $1.4 billion -- is expected to extend the life of the plant by about 25 years.

A few months ago, officials said the project was about 18 months behind schedule and at least $400 million over budget.

That would have seen the project completed early next year.

"The 18 months and the $400 million was based on Feb. 2011 and now I'm hearing that's not attainable. I don't know if that's true or not true because it's not AECL telling me that," Keir said in an interview.

"I think it is imperative the federal government be transparent and clear and open on where this thing is going."

Last week, NB Power said the refurbishment is about 75 per cent complete.

The utility said some leaks were found in the joints of new calandria tubes, which contain pressure tubes that hold the reactor's fuel bundles.

AECL has been conducting assessments and tests on a number of potential technical solutions in order to create tighter seal joints that meet operating standards.

"It may be 75 per cent complete but I'm worried about the last 25 per cent and with no schedule or no solution or no discussion about how they're going to get that last 25 per cent complete," said Keir.

This is the first refurbishment of a Candu-6 reactor by AECL.

The province has threatened to sue the federal government if Ottawa doesn't cover the cost of replacement power during the delays -- estimated at close to a million dollars a day.