Communities in northeastern British Columbia are urging the provincial government and B.C. Hydro to provide increased benefits from the Site C dam now that the $16 billion project is capable of generating more electricity than initially anticipated. The newly operational dam can produce up to 1,230 megawatts at peak capacity, exceeding the original approval of 1,100 megawatts in 2014 by about 130 megawatts. This additional capacity can power approximately 52,000 more homes than previously estimated or fulfill over half of the energy requirements for the proposed Cedar LNG project in Kitimat.
Hudson’s Hope Mayor Travous Quibell emphasized the need for local communities to receive a fair share of the benefits resulting from the heightened power generation capacity. The enhanced output was unveiled during B.C. Hydro’s testing of Site C’s six turbines, manufactured in Brazil and brought online along the Peace River near Fort St. John over the past year. With the final unit commencing operations ahead of schedule in August, provincial regulators discreetly amended Site C’s environmental certification earlier this year to acknowledge its increased output.
Greg Alexis, a spokesperson for B.C. Hydro, explained that while Site C may not consistently operate at its maximum capacity, the surplus electricity enables the utility to meet peak demand during extreme weather conditions. The dam began generating power in October 2024 after numerous delays, legal disputes, and cost overruns, becoming the largest public infrastructure project in British Columbia’s history, contributing around eight percent of the province’s electricity supply to support population growth and industrial endeavors.
Leaders in the Peace region argue that the augmented generating capacity at Site C should result in greater benefits for local communities. In a formal move in March, Mayor Quibell introduced a motion at a Peace River Regional District meeting, urging the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office to mandate increased benefit payments as a condition for revising Site C’s certification. The PRRD had previously signed an agreement with B.C. Hydro in 2013 to receive $2.4 million annually until 2094, adjusted for inflation, following the dam’s operationalization.
Despite the project’s positive outcomes, concerns persist regarding the permanent loss of 55 square kilometers of land submerged by the reservoir, as well as ongoing challenges faced by communities, such as issues with drinking water in Hudson’s Hope and uncertainties surrounding the future of the work camp accommodating Site C workers. While the PRRD continues to advocate for additional compensation, both B.C. Hydro and the EAO have rejected these requests, citing existing mitigation measures and community benefits already in place.
Leonard Hiebert, chair of the PRRD, expressed the district’s commitment to utilizing the received benefits for essential services and improvements like waste management, parks, and infrastructure. Despite the current stance of B.C. Hydro and the EAO, Hiebert reaffirmed the regional district’s determination to pursue further compensation, including advocating at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention. He emphasized the importance of provincial ministers witnessing the scale of development and impacts firsthand to comprehend the necessity for increased benefits for affected communities.
