The tram project missed almost all its milestones - some by months

The consortium missed five of its six accountability targets, according to the 2017-18 Transport Canberra and City Services annual report.

One target, the full energisation of the network for testing, was due to be completed in May. While the overhead wiring system was completed earlier this month -  382 poles and 24 kilometres of cable - the network is yet to be fully energised.

"Network energisation follows the completion of light rail construction and the erection of poles and overhead wires in four areas of the project. Two areas have been completed. Southside work is scheduled to be completed by October 2018," the directorate explained in its report.

The laying of the mainline track was scheduled to be finished by March but was 91 per cent complete as of June 30. A Transport Canberra spokesman said the track was now "essentially complete".

"Works were rescheduled during the year," the report said by way of explanation.

The light rail terminals were supposed to be finished by March, excluding minor and landscaping works. They are now structurally complete, pending furniture.

The maintenance and control centre building was due to be finished in March, bar landscaping and minor works. As of June, it was awaiting an internal services fitout, but the spokesman said now Canberra Metro was in the process of moving in.

Dynamic testing of the light rail vehicles was due to begin in February but only began in June after parts of the track were energised.

Despite noting this missed target, the directorate said: "Dynamic testing commenced at the light rail vehicle manufacturing facilities in Spain in late 2017."

The only target that was met on time was the arrival of the first light vehicle from Spain in December last year.

However Transport Canberra maintains the consortium will meet the December handover deadline.

"It is important to note the accountability indicators generally do not represent contract requirements. Instead, they were milestone estimates prepared by the territory quite some time ago in advance of the 2017-18 budget," the spokesman said.

"Canberra Metro [has] adapted [its] program as the light rail system has been delivered to meet the dynamic needs of the project. It’s not unexpected that the program would adapt to meet the needs of what’s happening on the ground as light rail is being built."

The spokesman said the milestones were now "quite visibly being completed".

"Not only has the first light rail vehicle arrived, but the last one is also now in Canberra. Energisation of large portions of the system has already occurred, with energisation of the final section to occur in the coming weeks," he said.

"As the public can see, the termini are structurally complete, with some landscaping and furniture to be installed closer to operations commencement.

"Dynamic testing of light rail vehicles is underway. The mainline track is essentially complete. The control centre building is complete, with Canberra Metro now in the process of moving into it. The light rail commencement date is nearing but is still obviously in the future."

The spokesman said that while construction was expected to be completed in December, there were additional hoops to jump through before light rail could begin operating.

"Canberra Metro will need to obtain third party rail accreditation and other independent sign-offs before the system begins operations, so the exact date of operations commencement is not determined by the ACT government. We expect that to be in early 2019," he said.

Unlike Canberra, Sydney's light rail project has been beset by delays and court battles, with the deadline again pushed back to May 2020. It was originally supposed to be completed before the NSW state election next March.

Construction on Newcastle's light rail system finished last month, although the system will undergo several months of testing before the line opens in 2019.