Bridge River system upgrades

Our Bridge River system is about 300 km north of Vancouver and consists of the LaJoie Dam and Powerhouse (Downtown Reservoir), Bridge 1 and 2 Powerhouses (Terzaghi Dam and Carpenter Lake Reservoir), and Seton Dam and Powerhouse (Seton Lake)
 

View project map at a larger size [JPG, 2.7 MB]
 

We're renewing the Bridge River hydroelectricity system, located in the territory of the St'át'imc Nation. This system's proximity to the Lower Mainland helps us operate the electrical system more efficiently.

We're making a significant investment in these 63 to 70-year-old facilities, including several major projects in the region.
 

The electricity generated on the Bridge River system accounts for about 6% of BC Hydro's total generation. Together, these facilities can generate 556 MW of power, increasing to 593 MW once the Bridge 1 Units 1 to 4 Generator Replacement project is complete.

With infrastructure between 63 to 70 years old, these projects will address dam safety and reliability issues, allowing us to generate clean power for British Columbians, while working to mitigate our operational impacts on the environment.
 

Over 20 projects are expected to take place in the system.

Planning work and design for some projects has been underway since 2015, while others are getting started or ongoing. Construction for several projects has already been completed while others are in progress.

Here are some of our larger projects:

• LaJoie Dam Improvement Project
• Seton Unit Replacement and Bypass Project
• Bridge River Transmission Project

For more information about all projects, see our reports and documents below.
 

St'át'imc Nation

In 2011, St'át'imc Nation and BC Hydro signed a historic set of settlement agreements to address all past, present and future impacts related to the existing infrastructure in their territory. Those agreements guide our relationship today and provide a framework for how we'll continue to work together into the future.

We're committed to maintaining a relationship with the St'át'imc Nation that is built on respect and understanding. We're working together to incorporate St'át'imc interests into our project planning and implementation, and creating economic opportunities for St'át'imc businesses and people to be part of our projects and ongoing operations.

Stakeholders

Engagement and consultation with stakeholders including local governments, residents and businesses located near the project are a key part of the process.

Communications and updates come through many channels including:

• Public presentations to the District of Lillooet and Squamish Lillooet Regional District
• Open houses at key project milestones
• Local ads
• Bi-annual Bridge River newsletter
• Project websites
• BC Hydro social media posts