Guide · updated October 12, 2026
Site C dam: status, final cost and what comes next (2026)
Site C, BC Hydro’s 1,100 MW dam on the Peace River, from BC Hydro’s own progress reports: when the units came online, what it cost, what is left, and the transmission work that follows it.
Site C is finished as a power plant. BC Hydro placed the fifth unit in service on July 16, 2025 and the sixth and last on August 8, 2025, about three months ahead of the approved schedule. Its first semi-annual progress report after completion (October 2025 to March 2026) puts the project at more than 94% complete. Life-to-date cost was C$14.9B at March 31, 2026, with about C$1.1B still to spend. BC Hydro says it remains on track to finish within the C$16B budget approved in 2021, while noting cost risks remain.
For contractors, the dam itself is in close-out: reclamation, roads, deficiencies and contract wrap-up. The work Site C enables is the bigger opportunity. That means 500 kV station sustainment on the Peace to Kelly Lake corridor, the North Coast Transmission Line, and the industrial and LNG load that the extra power makes possible. Those projects are below.
In this guide
- North Coast Transmission Line (NCTL)
- Site C Clean Energy Project
- BC Hydro 2024 and 2025 calls for power
- BC Hydro Peace to Kelly Lake Stations Sustainment
North Coast Transmission Line (NCTL)
British Columbia · Power · Prince George–Terrace
North Coast Transmission Line: the region's clearest procurement calendar.
- Status: Phase 1 clearing since July; four line teams shortlisted
- Next: Oct 15 final draft contract · Dec 15 proposals · May 2027 award
- Disclosed cost: C$6B (Phases 1–2, BC Hydro estimate); C$3.9B federal–provincial commitment
- Owner: BC Hydro (500 kV)
- In service: 2032–2034 (phased)
Sources:
Site C Clean Energy Project
British Columbia · Power · Peace River, near Fort St. John
All six Site C units are in service; the C$16B dam is in close-out.
- Status: All six generating units in service by Aug 8, 2025; more than 94% complete overall (Mar 2026)
- Next: Remaining works and close-out; about C$1.1B left to spend
- Disclosed cost: C$16B approved budget (C$14.9B spent to Mar 31, 2026)
- Owner: BC Hydro
- In service: 2025 (all units)
Sources:
BC Hydro 2024 and 2025 calls for power
British Columbia · Power · Northern B.C. and southern Interior
14 wind and solar projects with First Nations equity add 8,500 GWh a year by 2033.
- Status: 2024 call: 10 EPAs (nine wind, one solar), about 4,830 GWh/yr. 2025 call: four projects, about 3,500 GWh/yr, announced May 2026
- Next: Permitting; BC Hydro interconnection work from 2027; projects online from 2030–2033
- Disclosed cost: C$4.3B private investment (2025 call, Province)
- Owner: BC Hydro (independent power producers)
- In service: 2030–2033
Sources:
BC Hydro Peace to Kelly Lake Stations Sustainment
British Columbia · Power · Peace Canyon to Kelly Lake (500 kV corridor)
A C$354M rebuild of the 500 kV stations that carry Peace power south, due Oct 2028.
- Status: Implementation phase (board-approved Dec 2022); no material changes in the Nov 2024–Oct 2025 reporting period
- Next: In service October 2028
- Disclosed cost: C$354.0M authorized (BC Hydro)
- Owner: BC Hydro
- In service: October 2028
Sources:
Frequently asked
How much did Site C cost?
BC Hydro reported life-to-date costs of C$14.9B at March 31, 2026, with about C$1.1B remaining, against a C$16B budget approved in 2021.
Is Site C finished?
All six generating units were in service by August 8, 2025. At March 31, 2026, BC Hydro reported the project as more than 94% complete, with close-out work remaining.
How big is Site C?
Site C is a 1,100 MW hydroelectric dam and generating station on the Peace River near Fort St. John.
The full brief is in the October 2026 report: the procurement packages to watch, the buyer and contractor contacts, the dates on the 90-day calendar and how this project ties into the rest of the pipeline.
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