Firms may have an opportunity to be involved in the engineering, construction and electricity generation components of this major energy infrastructure project.

The Site C Dam Project on British Columbia’s Peace River has gone through several iterations under different provincial governments. The site was originally proposed in the 1980s, but the project did not officially begin until 2014, having been stalled by budget issues and a change of government. The current provincial government conducted an inquiry and rigorous environmental assessment review of the project in 2017, and determined it would move forward. With a budget estimate of $10.7 billion, it is one of the largest infrastructure projects in Canadian history.

BC Hydro’s Site C Clean Energy Project will be a third dam and hydroelectric generating station on the Peace River in northeast British Columbia. Upon completion in 2024, it will provide 1,100 megawatts (MW) of capacity, and produce about 5,100 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity each year — enough energy to power the equivalent of about 450,000 homes per year in that province.

Due to the project’s size and scope, the construction process has been broken into multiple areas with respect to site preparation (already underway), incoming roads and bridges, Peace River and reservoir management, as well as the hydroelectric station and transmission line construction.

While a number of contracts for the project’s initial components of the project have already been awarded, additional contracts remain open in a number of areas.

Companies that provide equipment and services for hydroelectric projects may find applicable opportunities. See the Procurement Forecast for more information.

By registering in the Business Directory on the Site C website, businesses can be alerted to opportunities that match its capabilities. While the form notes a Canadian address, U.S. companies have been awarded contracts on the project so there is no limitation based on geography.

A focus of the project has been to involve local Aboriginal suppliers; as a result, many of the successful awardees have collaborated with local Aboriginal  companies.

View our disclaimer.