B.C. Hydro begins filling Site C reservoir in northeastern B.C.

The provincial power utility has begun filling the large Site C reservoir in northeast B.C. as the $16-billion hydroelectric megaproject nears completion.

B.C. Hydro said on Aug. 25 that it has begun filling the reservoir, with the project due to fully come online in 2025.

The utility says the project will increase the province's power production capacity by eight per cent — at a time when demand for power is increasing.

"Right now ... we anticipate our demand for electricity is going to increase by about 15 per cent between today and about 2030," said Greg Alexis, a B.C. Hydro spokesperson. "So Site C is going to help with that."

The massive Site C project will generate hydroelectricity from a reservoir that is 83 kilometres long, one of three power-generating dams in the northeast B.C. region that draws from the Peace River. 

Site C has long been controversial, especially given its potential impact on nearby First Nations, but its construction was approved by former premier John Horgan in 2017 after previously being kick-started by Christy Clark's Liberals in 2015.

The project had been opposed by groups such as the Peace Valley Landowner Association, Prophet River First Nation and West Moberly First Nations on both environmental and land rights grounds — but B.C. Hydro says it is taking steps to mitigate those concerns.

LISTEN | Find out the next steps for the Site C dam:

On The Coast9:26B.C. Hydro spokesperson provides a Site C update

Host Gloria Macarenko speaks with B.C. Hydro spokesperson Greg Alexis about the reservoir being filled at Site C, and the next steps for the controversial dam to become operational.

In a statement, the project says it has established a $20-million compensation fund to support local agricultural production, and less than one per cent of agricultural land in the Peace Agricultural Region will be affected by the reservoir.

"B.C. Hydro has also taken comprehensive measures to mitigate potential impacts on wildlife in the reservoir area," the statement reads. "This includes removing vegetation from the reservoir area while building wetlands, fish habitat and wildlife den structures.

"In addition, starting reservoir filling in late summer is the least impactful period for wildlife, as it falls in between bird nesting and winter denning."

B.C. Hydro says it will flood 55 square kilometres of river valley between Fort St. John and Hudson's Hope for the project, with water levels rising between 30 centimetres and three metres a day for about two to four months.

In the statement, it says that members of the public are urged to stay away from the reservoir area during the filling, and for at least one year after.

"This is due to potential hazards on the reservoir, such as the surrounding land continuing to stabilize and floating vegetation debris," the statement reads.

"B.C. Hydro has installed comprehensive warning and danger signs throughout the reservoir area to support public safety. A notification will be issued when the public can access the reservoir again."

The utility adds that ongoing drought conditions in the province would not impact the reservoir filling, and the project would provide enough electricity to power 500,000 homes once fully online.

Concerns for agriculture

Some opponents of the hydroelectric project say they continue to have concerns for local farmers and wildlife, as well as the overall makeup of the Peace region in the decades to come.

Esther Pederson owns a house close to the Site C dam, above the slowly filling reservoir. While her home is not in the flood zone, she says she might still have to move as the banks get closer to her property.

She has a ranch and hay farm in the area and said the issue has long been controversial — going back to the 1980s when she was in agricultural college.

Pederson adds the valley is already well-suited to housing large-scale agriculture operations — something scientists anticipate will become more of a reality for northern Canada due to climate change.

But now, she says, potentially unique farming conditions and soils will be lost due to flooding.

"That valley [is] very unique and that's because of its east-west direction that it lies. It gets very long, long growing days," she said.