Page 19 - BEC / AUG / 2021
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As a result, the project’s expected in-service date of the Peace River. Measuring approximately 750
has been delayed a year and the project budget m long and 11 m wide, the tunnels are able to pass
increased to $16 billion. The largest cost increase 3,000 m3 of water a second. We completed the
is the estimated costs related to the COVID-19 diversion tunnels in early 2020.
pandemic, which includes an extra year to complete
the project and other COVID-19 related costs. Due to fluctuating river flows and the changing
needs of our upstream generating facilities
Q: Please tell me about the River Diversion. Why is throughout the year, diverting the Peace River could
this a major project milestone? only occur in late summer / early fall. Diversion took
A: One of the most important steps in building Site place in September 2020 over a period of several
C is to reroute a short section of the Peace River weeks and was successfully completed on October
during construction. Diverting the river allows us to 3, 2020. This allowed us to focus on building up
build the earthfill dam on dry land across the main the upstream and downstream cofferdams – which
river channel, while keeping the river flowing. measure about six stories high -– across the main
channel. We then pumped the remaining water out
Preparations began in 2018 when we started of the area between the cofferdams, creating a dry
excavating two diversion tunnels on the north bank area to build the centre of the Site C dam.
AUG 2021 | BUSINESS ELITE CANADA 19
