John Hart Generating Station

Replacement Project

November 2015

Community Construction Update

Report #29

Prepared by: Stephen Watson, BC Hydro

(O) 250-755-4795 or (C) 250-616-9888

Twitter: @Puntledge Email: steve.watson@bchydro.com

Project Status

• Road construction underway between existing dam and location of the new surge tank (near

the interpretive centre parking lot);

• Daily blasts at the water intake area (downstream of the existing John Hart dam) underway;

• Braces being installed at cofferdam – process of staged dewatering and excavation begins;

• Main access tunnel progresses through umbrella support system;

• Construction of crane plinth (rail) in the underground powerhouse is now complete;

• Excavation in powerhouse resumed, with work on bench two (of seven benches that make up

the powerhouse excavation plan).

• Power tunnel has now advanced to about 155 metres, reaching Adit D and opening up a new

face for drilling/blasting that will provide additional access to the powerhouse; and

• Safety improvements completed by on-site project teams, including installing grated decking

on footbridge and adding fencing at the new tailrace site.

Powerhouse cavern

Project Schedule

• End of November 2015: Begin drill, blast and mucking of Adit D;

• December 2015: Power pole relocation along surge tank access road to begin;

• August 2015 – Spring 2017: Drilling and blasting underway on power tunnel,

stretching from the powerhouse to the intake;

• February 2016: Adit D completed;

• Spring 2016: Surge chamber blasting and excavation to be complete; and

• Spring 2016: Concrete placement work to begin in powerhouse cavern.

Main access tunnel

CTV-VI provided a good project update on the John Hart project:

http://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=753398

John Hart Project Construction Video #2

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• We are producing about two construction videos per year to show the progress of

this fascinating project. The first one was in early 2015. We felt this was a good

time to convey the progress to date, particularly the powerhouse cavern.

• The video link is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOAZFZgiBok&feature=youtu.be

• We hope you enjoy it and can see the pride we all have in the John Hart project.

John Hart Dam Water Intake

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• Steel bracing has been installed on the inside of the cofferdam, and excavation is

beginning as staged dewatering progresses;

• Fraser River Pile & Dredge, who did a great job in building the cofferdam, has

largely demobilized from the site; and

• Emil Anderson Construction is working on the drilling/blasting of the downstream

side of the dam, just below the existing spillway gate. This is the location of the new

water outlet valves (which will provide fish habitat flows down Elk Falls Canyon)

and road access to the entrance of the power tunnel, connecting the intake to the

generating station.

Steel bracing being installed

along the cofferdam piles.

Construction Pictures – Cofferdam

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Nov 22

Construction Pictures – John Hart Dam Area

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Nov 25

Construction Pictures – Downstream of John

Hart Dam

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Controlled drilling and blasting

below the John Hart dam.

Construction Pictures – Surge Tank

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• Work continues on the road access connecting the existing dam to the location of

the new surge tank (runs alongside the interpretive centre parking lot and

suspension bridge access trail);

• Overburden is being removed, and gravel is being laid as foundation to the

roadway;

• No short-term trail closures are anticipated in the next few weeks, however trail

users are reminded to watch for truck traffic in the area. Please stay on marked

public trails; and

• The project team is working to address mud at the roadway crossing of the trail to

ensure this access stays accessible for people using wheelchairs.

Access road to the surge tank area.

Construction Pictures – Power Tunnel

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View looking downstream

where the water from the

reservoir will eventually

flow down.

View looking

upstream.

Construction Pictures – Powerhouse Cavern

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Construction Pictures – Surge Chamber

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The surge chamber is 93 metres long and the top length has

been excavated. Rock support is being developed before we

begin removing the lower benches of the chamber.

Construction Pictures – Main Access Tunnel

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The tunnel is on a

declining slope of

10%. Therefore

the tunnel height

isn’t getting

smaller; it’s going

downward.

Tailrace

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• Blasting for the first component of the tailrace work is roughly half finished

with over 20 blasts complete;

• To prevent rock and trees from falling into river, careful excavating work

was done near the work edge to pull trees and tree stumps back, break

rock into smaller pieces and pull back from the edge;

• A concrete curb was poured alongside the existing generating station to

redirect water flowing down the hill; and

• No road or trail closures are anticipated as this work progresses, but

community members in the area are advised to be cautious and aware for

extra activity on trails and traffic along Powerhouse Road (to public trail-

use parking lot).

Environment Update

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• Critical to environmental management at this time of year is managing for the heavy rainfall

and resulting water on site. A key component for this at the Surge Tower Road site was the

installation of a cattle-guard at the entrance that effectively knocks mud off truck tires as they

leave the site, as well as capture water runoff. Capturing and managing the water with the

cattle-guard has continued to help the project team protect the wetlands neighbouring the

site.

• Maintenance in areas planted to compensate for tree removal/trimming in BC Parks land

continues – including the removal of Scotch broom moving into the area and replacing trees

that did not survive following this summer’s drought.

• Little reptiles are being found on site and returned to appropriate habitat – like the different

newts shown below.

Business Profile – Island Ready-Mix Ltd

Background:

Island Ready-Mix is 100% locally-owned and operated, supplying concrete,

shotcrete and aggregates. Projects range from the John Hart project to a

residential hot tub pad. Nothing is too large or too small as they serve the

Campbell River community.

What you may not know about them:

Island Ready-Mix is one of the oldest companies in Campbell River serving the

North Island since 1952.

Project role:

Concrete and shotcrete are critical components of the project, and Island

Ready-Mix is excited to work with and supply concrete for InPower BC;s

various construction phases. They have been providing ASL-JV and Frontier-

Kemper the shotcrete for the tunnel walls and powerhouse cavern. With their

advanced equipment and technical expertise, Island Ready-Mix welcomes the

challenge of contributing to this state-of-the-art project in powering the Campbell

River area for decades to come.

People working on the project:

Island Ready-Mix has a crew of 8 to 15 part-time or full-time people involved in

the project. Most are long time residents of the Campbell River area.

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Business Profile – Island Ready-Mix Ltd

What makes Campbell River a great place to work:

The weather, the ocean, and the great outdoors makes this a great place to live. Where else can you

ski/snowboard in the morning, play golf in the afternoon, and then have a fresh salmon on the barbecue by

evening? With the John Hart project providing extensive employment opportunities, now and in the future, it

helps with that community attraction.

Quote:

“Great project to be involved with. No shortage of knowledge with interesting and fun people to meet and work

with.” Barry Kennedy, Manager/Owner.

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People Profile - Tony Holmes

Background:

Along with being alumni of professional football teams in the North

American Football League, Anthony (Tony) is a concrete finisher by

trade who owned and operated his own residential business for

years in Ontario before moving to Alberta to work on industrial

projects and onto Vancouver Island to manage work sites for large

projects such as the Kokish run-of-river project.

Home:

Tony, with wife Carla and daughters Madison (19) and Rhylee (13) have lived in Campbell River for three years – moving from Edmonton after a 10th wedding anniversary trip brought them to the Island and convinced them this had to be home for the years to come.

Hobbies:

Along with being the very-proud coach of 30+ students playing for the Timberline Wolves football team (which includes coaching, fundraising and program development), Tony is an avid fisherman and hiker, along with his family.

Project Responsibility:

As superintendent of the new water intake area, Tony’s responsibilities are to coordinate, facilitate and manage sub-trades as well as oversee all work occurring on the cofferdam and intake structures.

“I think working on this project is a wonderful opportunity to be a part of something that will have such a lasting, positive impact on the community.”

About Tony

Construction – Point Of Interest

Turbine/generator supplier - fabrication.

Each month, BC Hydro and InPower BC will provide a construction

fact, occurrence, or situation.

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• Some of the most critical pieces of the entire project are currently being designed and

fabricated on the other side of the country, and the world. After months of work, the first of

these components will begin to arrive in Campbell River by the end of 2015;

• Alstom was awarded the contract for design and installation of the turbine generator in the fall

of 2014. Alstom is based in Europe with some fabrication happening in Quebec and China;

• The draft tube elbows (shown below) for the three units will begin to arrive in December;

• Because of the size of these deliveries (roughly 10 metres long by 7 metres in diameter),

logistics for transport and subsequent storage has to be well-planned. These tubes will come

by truck because of limitations to the size of train tunnels across Canada; and

• Components will continue to arrive for the next 18 months with all pieces complete in time for

installation to begin: scheduled for the end of 2016/beginning of 2017.