Construction Activities
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Construction of Site C takes place over many years and in various locations. To better explain Site C construction, we've organized activities by the following six categories: Dam Site Area, Roads & Highways, Peace River/Reservoir Area, Transmission Lines, Hudson's Hope Shoreline Protection, and the Production & Transport of Materials.
Our principles for Site C construction
- We will uphold a safety-first culture for the people working on the Site C project and for people living and travelling near our construction sites.
- We will strive to minimize construction-related impacts to residents, businesses, property owners, communities and Indigenous groups in the Site C project area.
- We will inform and notify Peace region residents, businesses, property owners, communities and Indigenous groups about Site C construction activities and schedule.
- We will foster a two-way dialogue with Peace region residents, businesses, property owners, communities and Indigenous groups to ensure we are aware of local interests, issues and concerns.
- We will promote business and job opportunities for local, regional and Indigenous companies and workers during Site C construction.
Site Preparation Activities
Construction of Site C started with site preparation activities. This work has included:
- The movement of heavy equipment, construction materials and workers to the dam site.
- Clearing trees and vegetation on the north and south banks of the dam site area and along the Moberly River.
- Building access roads and a 329-metre-long temporary construction bridge across the Peace River at the dam site.
- Excavation work and the relocation of materials within the dam site area.
- Building a 1,600-person worker accommodation camp within the dam site area.
- Building a new siding near the existing Septimus siding on the CN railway line on the south bank within the dam site area.
- Installing power and telecommunications infrastructure required for construction at the dam site area.
- Public road improvements to 240, 269, 271, and Old Fort roads.
Learn more about Site Preparation Activities
Learn more about north bank slope stabilization
Dam, Generating Station, Spillways
Construction of the dam, generating station and spillways includes:
- Building two temporary cofferdams and diversion tunnels.
- Building an 800-metre-long roller-compacted-concrete buttress.
- Building an earthfill dam approximately 1,050 metres long and 60 metres high above the riverbed.
- Building a generating station and spillways.
- Installing six 183-megawatt generating units.
Other
Other activities include:
- Building a public viewpoint on the north bank of the Peace River.
- Building a Site C substation on the south bank of the Site C dam site.
- Once construction is completed, demobilization and site reclamation.
Public Road Improvements
As part of Site C construction, public road improvements are being made to sections of 240, 269, 271 and Old Fort roads to allow truck traffic to and from the dam site. This work includes:
- Upgrading and paving 1.6 kilometres of 240 Road.
- Upgrading and paving 900 metres of 269 Road.
- Shoulder widening and paving three kilometres of 271 Road.
- A combination of widening, paving and a partial realignment totalling 5.6 kilometres of Old Fort Road.
- Installing street lights at various intersections along Old Fort Road and 240 Road.
Highway 29 Realignments
The creation of the Site C reservoir required the realignment of six segments of Highway 29 over a total distance of approximately 30 km. This work included the construction of five new bridges at:
- Cache Creek
- Halfway River
- Farrell Creek
- Dry Creek
- Lynx Creek
The Site C reservoir is 83 kilometres long and widened the Peace River by two to three times on average. To create the reservoir, construction activities included:
- Permanent navigation restriction of the Peace River at the dam site to ensure public safety. This is done using booms and other markers upstream and downstream of the dam site.
- Installing beacons with lights on the north and south shore of the Peace River, upstream and downstream of the Site C dam site, to mark the construction area.
- Clearing trees and vegetation along the Site C reservoir area.
- River channelization (confining the river to allow construction activities on either side).
- River diversion around the Site C dam site.
- Filling the Site C reservoir.
Two new 500-kilovolt, 75-kilometre transmission lines have been built and energized along an existing right-of-way to connect Site C to the overall transmission network through the existing Peace Canyon generating station. Transmission work includes the following activities:
- Surveying and siting for towers.
- Construction/upgrading of access roads.
- Right-of-way clearing and preparation.
- Transmission line construction.
- Peace Canyon switchyard expansion including civil and electrical work.
- Site C substation construction including civil and electrical work.
Three 500-kilovolt transmission lines also connect the South Bank Substation and the Site C powerhouse.
As part of Site C construction, a berm has been constructed at Hudson's Hope to protect to the shoreline. Activities at Hudson's Hope include:
- Upgrades to D.A. Thomas Road
- Construction of a berm along the shoreline
- Re-paving Clarke Avenue, if required
- Recreation improvements, including a trail along the berm downstream of the museum area and a small craft launch
- Transport of material for the berm from Portage Mountain via Canyon Drive
Off-site materials for the construction of Site C are obtained from regional quarries and transported to site, primarily by truck. The materials have been gathered from:
- 85th Avenue Industrial Lands: the site is used for temporary laydown and storage for equipment and materials and as a source of construction material (glacial till) for the dam
- Portage Mountain Quarry: riprap and bedding material for the Hudson's Hope shoreline protection, and for Highway 29 construction.
- West Pine Quarry: a material source for access roads and the construction bridge.
- Wuthrich Quarry: a source of riprap and bedding.