BC Hydro has started site work to prepare for construction of the John Hart Generating Station Replacement Project in Campbell River.
Upland Excavating, through a joint venture with the K’ómoks First Nation, was awarded work for trail, road and parking lot realignments at the site, and at portions of Elk Falls Provincial Park.
Work is taking place off Woodstave Road and the Station View Trail.
BC Hydro plans to award the construction contract to one of three bidding teams this summer. A site design open house will then be followed by a business open house.
Site work is scheduled to be complete in the summer. Construction is expected to begin later in the year and finish in 2018. It includes a replacement water intake at the John Hart Spillway Dam and a new generating station beside the existing facility. A 2.1-kilometre tunnel will replace a trio of 1.8-kilometre pipelines.
In operation since 1947, the station is one of the oldest generating facilities in the company's hydroelectric system.
The project is expected to create an average of 400 jobs per year, peaking at about 500 in the second year of construction.