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In August 2025, BC Hydro achieved a historic milestone: the successful commissioning of the sixth and final generating unit at the Site C Clean Energy Project. With this achievement, Site C is now fully operational, marking the completion of one of the largest infrastructure projects in British Columbia’s history and setting the stage for a more sustainable energy future. With all six units online, Site C has the capacity to generate between 1,150 megawatts and 1,230 megawatts of electricity, and enough energy to reliably power about 500,000 homes annually. That represents an eight per cent increase in BC Hydro’s total electricity supply, providing a major boost as demand continues to climb. “From new housing and population growth to industrial development and transportation, Site C strengthens our ability to meet growing demand,” says Greg Alexis, Public Affairs Manager at BC Hydro. “It also enables us to integrate more renewables through the 2024 and 2025 Calls for Power, boosting system resilience and supporting B.C.’s transition to a clean economy.” A DECADE OF WORK The journey to this moment was long. Construction began in 2015, and after 10 years and more than 65.5 million work hours, the project has 3
reached full operation. Along the way, it became one of the largest construction sites in Canada. At peak in 2023, more than 6,000 workers were employed on the Site C project. That workforce included Indigenous peoples, women, and apprentices, with about a quarter of the labour force drawn from the Peace region itself. The project unfolded in stages. The first generating unit came online in October 2024, followed by a steady sequence of units over the next 10 months. Today, the powerhouse, earthfill dam, spillways, approach channel, substation, and transmission line connecting to the provincial grid are all working in tandem. While Site C is now delivering electricity, some work remains. Crews are finalizing the generating station, paving access roads, completing equipment commissioning, backfilling the massive tunnels that once diverted the Peace River, and restoring the landscape through revegetation and new wetlands. MEETING CHALLENGES HEAD-ON No project of this scale comes without challenges, and Site C faced its share. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted supply chains and altered work protocols. Forest fires in northern B.C. also had an impact, testing the resilience of the construction schedule and workforce. 4
6 Yet one constant remained: safety. “From working with heavy machinery and at heights, to managing through frigid temperatures and electrical hazards, we always ensured every facet of the project was completed safely,” Alexis says. “We’ve now reached 65 million work hours on the project, all while keeping safety at the forefront.” That focus on safety reflects the broader culture at BC Hydro, which has long emphasized the importance of protecting workers while executing complex projects. RMC Concrete is proud to have supplied the concrete for the Site C Hydro Electric Dam. As the leader in the industry with of performance concrete (HPC) and mobile solutions, it was a privilege to be able to participate in a project like this. From concrete design, concrete production, aggregate production and supply, our team worked efficiently and effectively to provide over 1 million cubic metres of concrete. As one of North America’s largest infrastructure projects, it took coordination and planning that we succeeded in execution. Our success of concrete placement was more than 99.9% in time and quality. The scope of this job allowed us to develop our team and that experience can now be utilized to push our projects further and continue to excel at major infrastructure projects just like this anywhere in North America. We have a deeply passionate, resourceful, and skilled team that is willing and able to tackle projects like Site C; subsequently, we owe a debt of gratitude to AFDE and BC Hydro for having the trust in RMC to perform this monumental task. As one of the largest ready-mix providers in Canada, we look forward to tackling major infrastructure projects anywhere in Canada and the US with permanent or mobile solutions tailored to the owner and general contractor’s needs.
7 LONG-TERM BENEFITS Now ranked as the fourth-largest by capacity of BC Hydro’s more than 30 hydroelectric generating stations, Site C will serve British Columbians for the next century. It will provide a reliable supply of clean energy while positioning the province to meet ambitious climate goals. Hydropower with reservoir storage, unlike some renewable sources, provides firm energy—meaning, it can generate electricity around the clock, regardless of weather or season. This stability makes it the cornerstone for integrating other renewables like wind and solar, which fluctuate depending on natural conditions. The scale of Site C means its impact is felt not just regionally, but provincially. As industries transition away from fossil fuels and toward electrification, the project provides the assurance that B.C. has the capacity to support growth while still reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
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9 COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENTS While construction is winding down, BC Hydro’s responsibilities in the Peace region are far from over. The utility has entered into community agreements that provide funding to local governments, helping address project impacts and ensuring long-term benefits for residents. “We are committed to meeting our environmental and social mitigation responsibilities that came with Site C, not just through project completion, but well into the future,” Alexis emphasizes. That commitment includes environmental restoration, land reclamation, and long-term monitoring. It also involves sustained engagement with Indigenous and local communities who were most directly affected by the project. A CENTURY OF CLEAN POWER For the next hundred years, the facility will supply clean, renewable electricity to homes, businesses, and industries across the province. It represents stability in an uncertain time, when energy demand is rising and the need to decarbonize is urgent. It also showcases the enduring role of hydroelectric power in Canada’s energy mix: a resource that provides not only electricity, but economic development, jobs, and long-term resilience. As Alexis reflects, the success of Site C lies in both its capacity and its timing. “Now that Site C is in full operation, it will play a vital role in maintaining a stable, reliable electricity system for the next century.” For more information, please visit www.sitecproject.com
As seen in BusinessEliteCanada.com www.sitecproject.com
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