Upgrades scheduled for WAC Bennett dam and generating stations

HUDSON’S HOPE, B.C. – BC Hydro has released information regarding updates to both the WAC Bennett and Peace Canyon dams and the generating stations.

Updates to the WAC Bennett dam include construction for the Visitor Centres’ new water supply scheduled for this year. The old water supply, Durack Brook Dam, will be removed, and construction is planned for 2023.

A spillway upgrade for the Bennett dam was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Construction is planned for this year; however, it may have to be postponed again due to high reservoir levels.

The Bennet Sluiceway Plug Installation and Stoplog Replacement are set for 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Upgrades will also be done on the Peace Canyon generating facility. The protection upgrade project is partially complete, with generating units three and four completed in 2019. Upgrades for units one and two were slated to start in March 2020 but have been deferred to 2024.

The Gordon M. Shrum generating facility will be upgrading its HVAC system, which is currently under redesign. This project is set to start between 2022 and 2023.

Hydro will also be replacing the unit controls for generating units one through ten and retrofitting governors for units six to ten. These help to control the water flow through the turbine. Completion of these upgrades will be mid-2023.