BC Hydro awards three contracts for Site C project in Canada

Canadian electric services company BC Hydro has awarded the generating station and spillways (GSS) civil works contract, along with two other contracts for the Site C project in British Columbia (BC).

The C$1.6bn ($1.2bn) GSS civil works contract has been awarded to the Aecon-Flatiron-Dragados-EBC Partnership (AFDE Partnership).

The contract falls within Site C Project’s revised budget of C$10.7bn ($8.1bn).

The Site C Project is a hydroelectric dam and generating station being built on the Peace River in north-east BC.

The GSS civil works contract is claimed to be the second largest to be awarded on the project and includes the delivery of civil works associated with the powerhouse, penstocks, spillways and power intakes.

The scope of work under the GSS civil works contract will include the placement of 700,000m³ of mass and reinforced concrete, 34,000t of rebar and more than 11,000t of steel.

The powerhouse will contain six generators with a combined capacity of 1,100MW, with corresponding intake structures connected to the powerhouse via 80m-long, 10m-diameter penstocks.

The work will also include the construction of two spillways that are 17-storeys high and five highway lanes-wide.

Scheduled to being later this year, the GSS civil works are expected to be completed in early 2023.

It is expected that at the peak of construction in 2021, there will be around 1,600 people working on the GSS civil works.

Aecon is managing partner of the consortium and holds a 30% share of the partnership, which was previously selected as preferred proponent for the project.

Aecon Infrastructure executive vice-president Mark Rivett said: “With Aecon’s work nearing completion on BC Hydro’s John Hart Generating Station project, we look forward to leveraging our seasoned capabilities to execute the Site C generating station and spillways civil works.”

Apart from the GSS civil works, the company has awarded a C$33m ($25m) contract to build the Site C substation to Nanaimo-based F&M Installations, while REEL COH won a C$23m ($17m) contract to design, supply and commission the GSS powerhouse bridge and gantry cranes.