Site C Clean Energy Project, Design and Construction Overview

November 19, 2024

This paper provides an overview of the design and construction progress of the Site C Clean Energy Project. The Project is an 1100 MW hydroelectric generating facility under construction on the Peace River near Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada. The Project layout is strongly influenced by the geological and hydraulic requirements at the site. On the left (north) abutment the project includes a large excavation for slope stabilisation as well as two diversion tunnels, one of which will be converted with the construction of orifices and later used for reservoir filling. A 60 m high earthfill dam spans the main river channel, and which abuts concrete structures on the right (south) abutment. The project spillway and power intakes for a six-unit powerhouse are fed by a large approach channel on the right abutment. The spillway includes a two-stage stilling basin with surface radial gates and vertical lift low level gates, as well as a free crest spillway. The configuration of the site includes an inclined “RCC buttress” supporting the headworks structures, powerhouse and spillway structures. The project includes an instrumentation program with an initial focus on capturing the response from project excavations and construction, and long-term operations. Construction started in 2015. The paper describes the hydraulic modelling of the spillway and powerhouse operation and design modifications made during construction to address site foundation conditions revealed during the excavation of the RCC buttress foundations.

Watson, A.D., D. Martin, J. Bruce, W. Van Gassen, B. Benabdellah,  S. Douglas and R. Heays. 2024. “Site C Clean Energy Project, Design and Construction Overview,” in Proceedings of the 2024 ANCOLD Conference: Never the Same Dam Twice. Adelaide, SA, Australia, 11-14 November 2024.