Acciona and its partners in the Peace River Hydro Partners consortium (PRHP) have completed the construction of the Site C dam in B.C. Awarded in 2015, it is one of Acciona’s largest projects in Canada.
With a crest length of more than one kilometer, the dam rose 60 meters above the Peace River (comparable to a 20-storey building).
The dam fill works began in 2021. In total, more than 16 million m3 of material was used in its construction which was 100 per cent self-performed by PRHP. Most of the material was obtained from the site while the remaining seven million tons was moved on a five-kilometer-long conveyor belt, avoiding CO2 emissions from vehicle haulage.
During construction, Acciona and its partners achieved records placing the roller-compacted concrete (RCC) foundation. The team reached daily RCC placement peaks of more thanr 9,460 m3 per day.
To divert the river, the PRHP excavated two twin tunnels 800 meters long and 11 meters diameter with road-headers. The tunnels were then lined with concrete. In total, more than 100 M3 of earth was moved. In addition, half a million tons of rip-rap rock protection for the dam was produced and transported by rail from a local quarry.
The construction of the Site C dam was built in compliance with international and Canadian safety practices, enabling it to withstand natural disasters.
The PRHP construction of the earthen dam, the roller-compacted concrete dam and the diversion tunnels are part of the Site C Clean Energy Project, one of the largest infrastructure initiatives in Canada.
Once fully completed in 2025, this project will provide energy to a population equivalent to 450,000 homes or 1.7 million electric vehicles per year.
