Construction has started on a sixth generating unit at BC Hydro’s Revelstoke Generating Station in British Columbia, the first and largest project in a programme of upgrades intended to add more than 1000MW of capacity to the provincial electricity system.
The new unit will add 500MW to the utility’s system and forms part of a broader effort to increase electricity supply by around 7% as demand rises across the province.
The Revelstoke station, on the Columbia River in southeastern British Columbia, currently operates with five generating units and an installed capacity of more than 2400MW. The original powerhouse was designed to accommodate a sixth unit, allowing the expansion to take place largely within the existing facility.
Work includes installing the new generating unit in an existing turbine bay, constructing a sixth steel penstock on the dam face and upgrading mechanical and electrical systems, including a new generator transformer and switchgear.
Construction activities are taking place within the existing generating station footprint, limiting additional environmental impacts associated with the project.
“We are taking significant action to optimize B.C.’s clean-energy system, including building a brand-new sixth generating unit at the Revelstoke Generating Station, modernising Units 1-5 at the G.M. Shrum Generating Station, and making other upgrades at sites throughout the province,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. “These investments are the best and most cost-effective ways to unlock more power from the system we already have – making every electron count across our public dams, substations, and transmission and distribution lines.”
The Revelstoke project is part of BC Hydro’s wider strategy of upgrading existing hydroelectric assets and improving operational efficiency rather than constructing new generation facilities.
Alongside Revelstoke Unit 6, BC Hydro plans to modernize Units 1-5 at the G.M. Shrum generating station at the W.A.C. Bennett Dam, adding around 100MW of capacity, while upgrades at Revelstoke, Mica and several smaller generating stations are expected to contribute more than 400MW.
“These system upgrades at sites across British Columbia are an integral part of our Powering Growth, Fueling Opportunity strategy,” said George Anderson, parliamentary secretary for energy and climate solutions. “We are planning for the future and optimizing our existing assets now to ensure British Columbians continue to have access to the clean energy they need for generations to come.”
Around 60 workers are currently on site at Revelstoke, with employment expected to peak at about 180 workers in 2029.
The project is expected to generate approximately C$60m (US$43.8m) in local spending on goods, materials and services and create opportunities for local businesses and First Nation-owned companies.
“Revelstoke Unit 6 is a cost-effective and low-impact way to add 500 megawatts of new clean capacity to our system,” said Charlotte Mitha, president and CEO, BC Hydro. “We are making full use of an existing facility, improving system flexibility, strengthening peak reliability and ensuring we are ready to meet our customers’ energy needs as demand for power accelerates across the province.”
The sixth unit is expected to enter service in December 2032.
