BC Hydro says it will repurpose the Site C worker camp facilities for construction of the North Coast Transmission Line.
The utility said Friday it will reuse 21 modular dormitories, the construction site office and other infrastructure used during construction of the hydroelectric dam on the Peace River in northeast B.C.
It said the facilities will be relocated to areas between Prince George and Terrace after the Site C camp wraps up operations at the end of March.
Site C came into full operation in August.
“Our goal was to give the Site C camp a meaningful second life,” said BC Hydro president and CEO Charlotte Mitha in a statement. “With Site C nearly complete and construction on the North Coast Transmission Line starting this summer, the timing is ideal.”
BC Hydro said the three-storey dormitories provide a total of 1,764 beds, along with other amenities such as kitchens and dining halls, coffee shops and lounges.
It plans to continue negotiations with other organizations for the remaining Site C camp structures, including a theatre and gymnasium.
“Repurposing the Site C camp not only prevents unnecessary waste but saves money and time, while supporting a project that will generate significant economic benefits for our province,” said Energy and Climate Solutions Minister Adrian Dix.
The chiefs of the Stellat’en, Nadleh Whut’en, Saik’uz and Lheidli T’enneh First Nations, which are partners in the transmission line project, said in a joint statement they support the reuse of the Site C camp.
“Providing new uses for this camp saves construction materials and resources to build new camp infrastructure. These resources can be better used to mitigate impacts on our lands impacted by the NCTL project,” they said.
BC Hydro said clearing and access work along the route is set to begin this summer.
The first two phases of the project aim to twin the existing transmission line between Prince George and Terrace, at an estimated cost of $6 billion. A planned third phase would extend north of Terrace to the Bob Quinn substation.
The province says the additional energy capacity is needed to power projects such as the planned Ksi Lisims LNG facility on Pearse Island, as well as other proposed mining and critical minerals projects.
