The original John Hart hydroelectric facility operated above ground for many years on BC Hydro property in the middle of Elk Falls Provincial Park in mid-Vancouver Island. Given its setting, the facility was a necessary yet somewhat lamented infrastructure within an otherwise pristine landscape. Replacing it with a modern, underground powerhouse improved the park and gave BC Hydro an opportunity to bolster generating capacity.
As the first P3 hydroelectric project in Canada, this project fostered excellence from the outset – from its innovative underground design and commitment to environmental protection, to the teams that safely executed, on-time and on-budget. This critical infrastructure will ensure the supply of reliable electricity to local communities for years to come.