John Hart Generating Station Replacement Project. November 2017 Community Construction Update Report #53

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1 John Hart Generating Station Replacement Project November 2017 Community Construction Update Report #53 Prepared by: Stephen Watson, BC Hydro (O) or (C)

2 Project Status Mucking and excavation of the approach channel rock on the reservoir bottom is finished and Fraser River Pile and Dredge is demobilized. The significant in-water intake work (upstream side of the dam) is now complete; Scaffolding is in place for the installation of the upper gate guides at the intake (downstream side of dam) and this work will continue through December; Concrete paving of the nearly 1.6 km-long power tunnel invert (floor) is ongoing, with an average of about 150 metres completed each day; At the surge tank site, for the power tunnel, the formwork for concrete placements is being dismantled and the site is being prepared for the backfill phase; The office complex is taking shape as the fireproofing and finishing work (drywall, lighting, plumbing) is underway. Concrete for the stair landings is complete; Surge chamber draft tube gate guide installation has begun for the gates which can be used in any of the draft tube gate slots for either the bypass outlets or generator unit outlets; The drilling and final blast to remove the tailrace rock plug is set for early December; and The substation is preparing for the installation of the cable bus (brings the power from the generating station to the substation) this includes installing conduit, paving the cable bus footings, and preparing to erect H-frame poles. The first new substation transformer also arrived at the site late this month. The 70-year-old generating station and the new tunnel outlet that will enter the Campbell River.

3 Project Schedule December: Rock plug blast and excavation of tailrace outlet channel; December: Rotor installation for Turbine/Generator #2; December: Turbine inlet valves installed; December: Low level outlet installation begins; December: Powerhouse air compressor system commissioning; December-February: Water intake structure installation of electrical and mechanical works (cable trays, lighting, piping, valves, etc.); December-February: Draft tubes and bypass outlet gates testing; January: Dry testing of turbine/generator #3 underway; January: Testing of hydroelectric pressure unit for Turbine/Generator #3; February: Dry test low level outlet; February: Dry test and commissioning of tailrace dewatering pump; and March/April: Tailrace water up and then power tunnel water up. This media story is a good reminder on why we are doing this project. In 2018, the new water bypass facility within the new underground John Hart generating station will be in operation to protect downstream fish habitat from unplanned flow events. In such incidents, water flows will be immediately re-directed from the generators that may go off-line through the water bypass facility in providing seamless water flows for fish habitat downstream. The John Hart project will also have new transformers placed within the substation.

4 Project Schedule Media Victoria Times Colonist, Nov 1,

5 Construction Pictures John Hart Dam Nov 14 5

6 Low Work on the Level surge tank. Outlet Formwork August 6-27 Crews getting ready to remove some of the concrete formwork on the low level outlet structure. The platform and crew can be seen on the previous page. 6

7 The low level outlet works for water flows down Elk Falls Construction Canyon the left, and the right, the Pictures top of the liners John Hart Dam for the entrance into the power tunnel intake shaft. 7

8 The steel liner that takes water from the intake operating Construction gate into the shaft down to the power tunnel. Pictures John Hart Dam 8

9 9 Placing the concrete invert (floor) within the nearly 1.6 km long power tunnel.

10 10 The surge tank is beginning to take shape. Located between the water intake at the dam and powerhouse, it provides power tunnel protection/hydraulic management.

11 11 View down the power tunnel to the power tunnel manifold.

12 12 Looking down the manifold.

13 13 From left to right, the specialized formwork structures that shape the concrete placements for the water inlets to turbines/generators #1, #2 and #3.

14 14 The water inlets to turbines/generators #2 and #3.

15 15 The turbine inlet valve to Turbine/ Generator #3 is now installed.

16 16 View from the main access tunnel into the powerhouse area. The office space is above and right.

17 Construction Looking Pictures back to the main access tunnel Powerhouse and the office complex. 17

18 Powerhouse view from the service tunnel entrance. Powerhouse view. 18

19 19 The three water bypass valves are to ensure constant water flows are provided downstream to protect fish habitat.

20 20 Bypass operating valve for Unit #2.

21 21 Crews removing the concrete formwork for the gate guides from the gate gallery above. Water from the three water bypass units will enter into this surge chamber and then continue on in the tailrace tunnel to discharge into the river.

22 22 Drilling work and preparations for the early December rock plug blast.

23 The removal of the rock plug area will allow the tailrace tunnel outlet to join Campbell River. 23

24 24 Upgrade work within the John Hart substation as we replace the old equipment with new works for the three new generators within the powerhouse.

25 Environment Water intake work complete: zero water quality impacts within the John Hart reservoir As 2.5 years of in-water work in the reservoir comes to an end, the project team is celebrating their significant record of zero water quality impacts to the City of Campbell River s drinking water. The 30 months of complex in-water work was necessary to build the new intake works in the Campbell River reservoir. The project's environmental monitoring teams successfully managed and monitored this critical work which included: installing the steel-pile temporary cofferdam; blasting and constructing intake maintenance gates on the John Hart dam behind the cofferdam; removing the cofferdam; blasting out of the rock for the intake approach channel; and clamshell excavation of the blasted rock. A large rock removed from the October rock blast courtesy Norm James of FRPD.

26 People Profile Will Kingston About Will Background: Will has been able to use his education in mechanical technology in a number of different industries. As a result, he brings experience from several interesting projects including power generation and renewable energy, manufacturing and construction, and helping implement programs and processes improve equipment reliability. Home: Originally from Toronto, Will has lived in BC for the past 12 years - most of it in Fort St. John. He recently relocated to Campbell River and is nicely settling in to his new surroundings. Hobbies: Will loves exploring the outdoors with his wife Lynn and dog Gus. He also loves music and plays the guitar to relax. Project Responsibility: A key member of the InPower BC team, Will s title is Services Director. It is Will s responsibility to work with the services providers and BC Hydro to ensure the completed John Hart facility is maintained in a safe and reliable manner during the 15-year service period. People are always the most important part of any job, and the quality of the team here is amazing. I m proud to be working on a project that means so much to the province and community.

27 Construction Point Of Interest Each month, BC Hydro and InPower BC will provide a construction fact, occurrence, or situation. Point of Interest Interconnection of power supply from the powerhouse to the substation. The project team discovered during the excavation and geotech drilling process that the slope down to the substation was not suitable for the ground works needed to install the power cable trays from the powerhouse to the substation. Engineers have turned to the H-frame poles to carry the cables to the substation. To suspend the 27 large copper cables (750 MCM) that collectively will convey the 132 MW of power generated by the three new turbine/generators, the H-frame hydro poles will be installed by three spans (shown roughly below) from the powerhouse to the substation; The use of wooden H-frame poles allows the project to have flexibility in their placement; BC Hydro has used H-frame power poles since the 1940s to support suspended power lines; and Wooden H-frame poles, which have effective surge voltage insulating properties, can be up to approximately 30 metres tall.