BC Hydro moves forward on plans for unit six of the Revelstoke Dam

Construction on unit six of the Revelstoke Dam is slated for spring, pushing back the original anticipated completion date for the final unit. 

The goal for unit six  is to increase capacity for peak needs, adding an estimated 500 megawatts of generating capability. While BC Hydro’s average needs can still be met largely by the current resources, peak needs have put the project back on the radar, project manager Allison McMillan said.

“We’re needing this capacity now more than we needed it in the last 10 or 15 years. For those coldest days of winter, hottest days of summer, when everybody’s running air conditioners or heaters,” she said at an open house Oct. 1.

A harder deadline is now on the books for the project, with a previously approved environmental assessment requiring a five-year extension.

“That means we need to substantially start construction by November of 2028,” McMillan said. Current plans are to bring the unit online by December 2032.

Housing and workforce impact while building unit six of the Revelstoke Dam

With an estimated workforce of nearly 200 workers on-site, staff housing has been a top conversation between BC Hydro, the City of Revelstoke and Revelstoke Community Housing Society. 

While BC Hydro aims to pull roughly 32 per cent of the workforce from within a 100 kilometre radius around Revelstoke, stakeholders reported that percentage to be ambitious and  BC Hydro is aware the project may have impacts on Revelstoke’s housing situation.

“We’re working with the City of Revelstoke and Revelstoke Community Housing Society to try to reduce negative impacts on accommodation supply,” Debra Lamash, stakeholder engagement advisor explained.

Part of that work includes supporting affordable housing plans and assessing private housing options in town as well. As the project advances BC Hydro will strive to “identify any unforeseen impacts on housing during project construction and ways we can potentially address them,” Lamash said.

In an effort to have workforce numbers up by the time the unit installation is at peak capacity, BC Hydro is exploring future training programs with Okanagan College and BC Hydro’s internal apprenticeship programs to train the workforce required.

“We need this workforce in 2028, 2029. Now is the time to get them trained,” McMillan said.

Future open house and input opportunities will roll out in the coming months as BC Hydro prepares to start construction. You can stay up to date on all plans, updates and more through the BC Hydro Revelstoke Dam unit six webpage.