Acciona-led JV named preferred proponent for Site C civil works

3 December 2015


CANADA – BC Hydro has selected Peace River Hydro Partners as the preferred proponent for the Site C main civil works contract, it announced November 25. Peace River Hydro Partners include Acciona Infrastructure Canada Inc., Petrowest Corporation and Samsung C&T Canada Ltd.

Main civil works is the largest single contract for the construction of the Site C project and includes the construction of an earthfill dam, two 10.8m internal diameter concrete-lined tunnels between 700m to 800m in length and approximately 32 million cubic metres of excavation for structures, including the approach channel and tailrace. BC Hydro said a rigorous evaluation process concluded that Peace River Hydro Partners has a strong delivery record for projects of a similar size and nature and best met BC Hydro's requirements for the Site C main civil works contract.

"Peace River Hydro Partners are excited to be part of building a legacy project that will benefit British Columbians for generations to come," said Rick Quigley, on behalf of the contractor. "Our partnership has strong roots in Fort St. John, and I'm proud to be a part of the team building a clean energy project in the same community in which I live and work. We look forward to working closely with local workers and First Nations communities to maximize the economic opportunity for families in the Peace region."

BC Hydro issued a Request for Qualifications in April 2014 and shortlisted four proponent teams to provide proposals for the main civil works contract. BC Hydro received proposals from all four teams this October. A contract is expected to be awarded by early 2016. The proposal by Peace River Hydro Partners is within the budget established by BC Hydro, and is included in the CAD 8.335bn (USD 6.24bn) cost estimate for Site C.

While main civil works is the largest contract for Site C, other upcoming major construction contracts include: turbines and generators, generating station and spillways, Highway 29 realignment, and substation and transmission lines.

Work under this contract is expected to create approximately 8,000 person-years of employment over the eight-year contract, along with business opportunities for local, regional and Aboriginal businesses. Approximately 1,500 people will be working on main civil works at the peak of construction.

To meet the demand for jobs and business opportunities, BC Hydro is planning a series of job fairs and business-to-business networking sessions in early 2016. The sessions will provide an opportunity for local, regional and Aboriginal businesses and job seekers to meet the main civil works preferred proponent and other contractors.