The name dates back to the late 1950s when a predecessor company of BC Hydro was exploring the hydroelectric potential of the Peace River. While sites had been identified for the future locations of the W.A.C. Bennett and Peace Canyon dams, further exploration was done to identify locations between Peace Canyon and the Alberta border. In 1958, Sites A, B, C, D and E were identified. By 1978, the current Site C location was confirmed as the best option for a third dam on the Peace River.