BC Hydro’s John Hart Dam Seismic Upgrade Project reached another milestone with the award of the civil works contract to the Aecon-EBC General Partnership.

The schedule remains on track for construction work to start on the dam in summer 2023, following anticipated final internal approvals and the conclusion of the BC Utilities Commission process in spring 2023.

“BC Hydro is planning seismic upgrades at John Hart Dam to ensure the facility continues to deliver safe, reliable power,” says BC Hydro’s spokesperson, Stephen Watson in a press release. “We’re pleased to award the civil work contract to the Aecon-EBC General Partnership who have a previous history of building and upgrading hydroelectric projects. We look forward to working closely with the contractor’s team as we plan for construction this summer and continuing through 2026.”

The proposed project will address dam safety risks at the John Hart Dam and will significantly improve the facility’s ability to withstand a major seismic event. The project will also improve the reliability of the ageing spillway gate system and increase the dam’s spill capacity.

The civil works contractor will upgrade the earthfill and concrete sections of the dam, and create an overflow spillway under the existing road deck.

The hydro-mechanical work will replace the three spillway gates and related works. The Request for Proposals for this contract is currently planned to be issued in 2024, with the construction work proceeding after completion of the civil work.

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