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Bridge River system upgrades

Aerial view of the Bridge River powerhouse
Bridge River 1 Units 1 to 4 at Shalalth on Seton Lake.

We're working to renew the Bridge River electricity system which is about 300 kilometres north of Vancouver in the traditional territory of the St'át'imc Nation.

What's new

BCUC approval of the Bridge River 1 project

The B.C. Utilities Commission (BCUC) has given their approval for the Bridge River 1 Units 1 to 4 Generator Replacement Project, emphasizing that the project is needed urgently. The project at Bridge River 1 will replace aging equipment in the generating station to improve reliability, restore capacity and increase operating flexibility.

The targeted completion of the project is set for 2030.

Learn more in our latest newsletter.

Join our open house

We're hosting three open houses in June to discuss our project plans in the Bridge River area. Get a first-hand overview of our upcoming projects, plus the opportunity to ask questions and share your feedback. Your input will help inform our project studies around transportation, worker access, and accommodations.

Open house details

Lillooet

Wednesday, June 14, 2023, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 

At Lillooet & District R.E.C. Centre, 930 Main St, Lillooet, BC 

Gold Bridge

Thursday, June 15, 2023, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

At Gold Bridge Community Club, 699 Gun Lake Rd S, Gold Bridge, BC

Can't make it in person? Join our virtual open house

Wednesday, June 21, 2023, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

To register for our virtual open house, send us an email.

Our Bridge River system is about 300 km north of Vancouver and consists of the LaJoie Dam and Powerhouse (Downtown Reservoir), Bridge 1 and 2 Powerhouses (Terzaghi Dam and Carpenter Lake Reservoir), and Seton Dam and Powerhouse (Seton Lake)
 

Bridge River system upgrade project map

We're renewing the Bridge River hydroelectricity system, located in the territory of the St'át'imc Nation. This system's proximity to the Lower Mainland helps us operate the electrical system more efficiently.

We're making a significant investment in these 63 to 70-year-old facilities, including several major projects in the region.
 

The electricity generated on the Bridge River system accounts for about 6% of BC Hydro's total generation. Together, these facilities can generate 556 MW of power, increasing to 593 MW once the Bridge 1 Units 1 to 4 Generator Replacement project is complete.

With infrastructure between 63 to 70 years old, these projects will address dam safety and reliability issues, allowing us to generate clean power for British Columbians, while working to mitigate our operational impacts on the environment.
 

Over 20 projects are expected to take place in the system.

Planning work and design for some projects has been underway since 2015, while others are getting started or ongoing. Construction for several projects has already been completed while others are in progress.

Here are some of our larger projects:

For more information about all projects, see our reports and documents below.
 

St'át'imc Nation

In 2011, St'át'imc Nation and BC Hydro signed a historic set of settlement agreements to address all past, present and future impacts related to the existing infrastructure in their territory. Those agreements guide our relationship today and provide a framework for how we'll continue to work together into the future.

We're committed to maintaining a relationship with the St'át'imc Nation that is built on respect and understanding. We're working together to incorporate St'át'imc interests into our project planning and implementation, and creating economic opportunities for St'át'imc businesses and people to be part of our projects and ongoing operations.

Stakeholders

Engagement and consultation with stakeholders including local governments, residents and businesses located near the project are a key part of the process.

Communications and updates come through many channels including:

  • Public presentations to the District of Lillooet and Squamish Lillooet Regional District
  • Open houses at key project milestones
  • Local ads
  • Bi-annual Bridge River newsletter
  • Project websites
  • BC Hydro social media posts
     

Contact us

If you'd like to learn more about the project, please contact us at:

Email: projects@bchydro.com
Phone: 604 623 4472
Toll free: 1 866 647 3334