BC Hydro at work: Transmission tower assembly on Fraser River
BC Hydro crews assembling a replacement transmission tower on the north bank of the Fraser River on Easter Monday. This is part of the ongoing work on the 500-kilovolt transmission line crossing the river from Surrey to Coquitlam.
In the summer of 2011, a transmission tower on the south side of the Fraser River, carrying 230-kilovolt lines, fell into the river after its foundation was compromised, likely due to accelerated erosion caused by high river levels. The erosion also affected the stability of the foundation of the neighbouring tower carrying 500-kilovolt lines.
Over the past two years, BC Hydro has restored and stabilized the transmission lines and towers and the work is nearing completion. To further increase safety and reliability, BC Hydro is using new, stronger and taller towers for both the 230-kilovolt and 500-kilovolt lines, eliminating the need for towers at the edge of the river.
