Site C lay out , image courtesy  BC Hydro

Prince George, B.C. – The Joint Review Panel,  which examined the Site C  hydro electric dam  proposal, has submitted its report to  both the federal and  provincial governments.

Details of the report have not yet been released publicly, so it is not known if the  report  recommends the  project proceed, and if so,  what, if any, conditions might be attached to an approval.

Site C would be the third dam on the Peace River.  It calls for the construction and operation of a dam and 1,100 megawatt hydroelectric generating station on the Peace River upstream from Taylor.  The project could produce enough energy to power 450 thousand homes in B.C. every year.

The report was developed  after review of  submissions and 26 days of public hearings  which wrapped up  in January of this year.

Key components of the project are:

• An earthfill dam, approximately 1,050 metres long and 60 metres high above the riverbed
• A generating station with six 183 MW generating units
• An 83-kilometre-long reservoir that would be, on average, two to three times the width of the current river
• The realignment of up to six segments of Highway 29 over a total distance of up to 30 kilometres
• Two new 500 kilovolt AC transmission lines that would connect the Site C facilities to the existing Peace Canyon Substation, along an existing right-of-way
• Access roads in the vicinity of the site and a temporary construction access bridge across the Peace River at the dam site

Under the terms of the Joint Review Panel, their report is to be made public within 45 days.  Indications are  the report will be  released sometime next week.