Contractors interested in bidding on the civil or in-ground portion of work on the John Hart seismic upgrading project turned out in strong numbers to tour the site.
More than 30 showed up for the Jan. 24 tour at the Campbell River facility, some local and some from elsewhere in North America.
“We have had very good interest in the project since issuing the request for proposals in December for the civil works,” B.C. Hydro spokesman Stephen Watson said Tuesday, noting the number of contractors on the tour was higher than is typical.
“We’re really encouraged by the level of interest in this project amongst the contracting community and we are confident that we will be successful in securing a highly qualified contractor to build this important project.”
Upgrading is needed to make sure the 2,600-foot-long dam, built in the 1940s, can operate safely and reliably, including in the event of a major earthquake.
The project is expected to cost between $497 million and $822 million and require about 600 person years of work during six years of construction. Construction is expected to start next year and be completed in 2029. March 30 is the closing date for civil proposals. The selected contractor will be announced in early fall.
B.C. Hydro is working with Campbell River and District Chamber of Commerce, the Vancouver Island Construction Association, the North Vancouver Island Aboriginal Training Society, and the North Island Employment Foundations Society, which want to ensure local companies play a role in the project.
Watson said the largest aspect of the civil work will be placing upstream and downstream earth berms in the earthfill sections of the dam, widening the dam to make it seismically strong.
Contractors will remove material from within the reservoir and put new compacted materials down to widen the dam. A seepage cut-off wall, or impermeable wall, will also be installed to stop potential water seepage.
Double silt curtains — temporary sediment barriers — will go into the reservoir to protect the water quality for domestic users and fish while work is underway.
The civil work is only part of the job. A spillway gate system is also going out to tender. A spillway regulates the flow of extra water from the dam.
Gates will be installed once the civil work is completed, Watson said.
