VANCOUVER: BC Hydro has successfully removed the 138-kilovolt power line crossing over Agamemnon Channel, a key step in modernizing the coastal transmission system that powers Powell River and surrounding communities — including Lund, Cortes Island, Texada Island, and Saltery Bay. The work was completed with an environment‑first approach to protect sensitive marine habitat in the area.
Installed in the late 1960s, the Agamemnon Channel power line crossing was one of two high-voltage lines supplying electricity to the region for more than five decades. The other crossing — over Jervis Inlet — was removed last fall using controlled detonation. Unlike that removal, the Agamemnon Channel power line was taken down using a helicopter-mounted cable cutter, with the three cables severed one at a time and allowed to fall into the water below. These cables were then retrieved using a barge and cable reels. The removal methods differed between the two crossings because of variations in wire condition, wire tension, and engineering assessments.
Environmental protection remained a priority throughout the operation. A sensitive bedrock sponge habitat was identified beneath the south end of the crossing during pre-work environmental assessment. The cable-cutting location was selected so that, once severed, the cables would naturally retract away from this habitat due to existing tension. In addition, all hardware was removed in advance to reduce the risk of seabed damage and entanglement.
The work followed a detailed Environmental Management Plan and Fisheries and Oceans Canada authorization. Environmental specialists, including marine mammal observers, monitored the operation full-time, and bird‑nesting surveys were conducted to identify active nests or other sensitive features in the area before removal began.
To ensure public and crew safety, daytime marine traffic was temporarily restricted while overhead power line work took place. Local governments, agencies, marinas, and commercial marine operators were notified in advance, and a marine route around Nelson Island through Jervis Inlet remained open throughout the operation.
Work to remove the power line cables took place April 20 and 21, and retrieval was completed April 28. This removal clears the way for installation of a new 230‑kilovolt power line crossing in fall 2026. Once in service, the upgraded line will improve long‑term reliability and increase capacity for approximately 14,000 customers in the region.
The next phase of this project will involve reinstalling a new power line crossing over Jervis Inlet and Agamemnon Channel. Both crossings will be upgraded to 230 kilovolts to improve reliability and support future growth for Powell River and surrounding communities. Additional transmission upgrades to strengthen the system and improve operational flexibility are also planned for later this spring.
To learn more about this critical work, visit bchydro.com/jervisagamemnon.