For over a decade, the landscape just southwest of Fort St. John was defined by one of the most ambitious engineering feats in Canadian history. The skyline was defined by cranes, massive earthworks, and the steady hum of one of Canada’s largest construction projects.

Today, the dust has settled on the construction site, and the hum of massive turbines has taken its place. BC Hydro’s Site C Clean Energy Project is no longer a “project” in the works—it is a fully operational powerhouse and a cornerstone of British Columbia’s electrical grid.

A Decade of Engineering Ambition

Construction on Site C began in the summer of 2015. Over the next ten years, thousands of workers descended on the Peace River Valley to build an earth fill dam 60 meters high and over a kilometer long. The project utilized a massive roller-compacted concrete (RCC) buttress to stabilize the valley’s south wall, creating a foundation for the generating station and spillway.

The journey was not without its hurdles. From navigating challenging geological conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic to addressing significant environmental and Indigenous concerns, Site C was a constant subject of provincial debate. Despite these complexities, the project moved forward as a vital part of B.C.’s commitment to renewable energy, designed to maximize the potential of water already stored behind the upstream W.A.C. Bennett Dam.

From First Power to Full Operation

The transition from a construction site to a generating station moved rapidly over the last 18 months:

• August 2024: Reservoir filling began, raising the water level by 43 meters over 11 weeks.
• October 2024: The first of six generating units successfully delivered its first megawatt to the grid.
• August 9, 2025: A historic milestone was reached as the sixth and final generating unit was commissioned, bringing the facility to its full 1,100-megawatt capacity.

Site C Today: Life in the Peace Region

Now that Site C is fully in service, it provides approximately 8% more electricity for the province—enough to power roughly 500,000 homes or 1.7 million electric vehicles.

While the heavy construction is over, work in the region continues:

• Restoration: Crews are now focused on decommissioning the massive worker lodge and re-vegetating areas used during construction.
• Safety Monitoring: Public boat launches remain closed as engineers monitor the 83-kilometer-long reservoir for shoreline stability and floating debris. Reopening is tentatively expected for Spring 2026.
• Environmental Oversight: Ongoing partnerships with Treaty 8 First Nations ensure that wildlife and fish habitats are monitored as the reservoir settles into the landscape.

A 100-Year Legacy

With a final investment of approximately $16 billion, Site C stands as a testament to long-term vision. It joins the Bennett and Peace Canyon dams to ensure the “mighty Peace” remains a primary source of clean, reliable energy for the next century, fueling B.C.’s transition to a low-carbon future.