A look at British Columbia’s Site C Dam Project.

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 B.C.

The Site C Dam project has gone through several iterations under different provincial governments. The site was originally proposed in the 1980s, but the project was stalled by budget issues and a change of government and did not officially begin until 2014. B.C.’s 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 CAD $10.7 billion, it is one of the largest infrastructure projects in Canadian history.

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

While some contracts have already been awarded for some initial components of the project, other contracts remain open for various component areas. Companies that provide equipment and services for hydroelectric projects may find opportunities available. See the Procurement Forecast for more information.

Registering on the Site C’s Business Directory will allow businesses to stay alerted to opportunities matching their capabilities. (Although the form requests a Canadian address, U.S. companies have been awarded project contracts, so there is no limitation based on geography.)

The involvement of local Aboriginal suppliers has always been a project focus, and many of the successful awardees have collaborated with local Aboriginal  companies.

(Note: Site C construction map found at the Site C Project website.)

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