It was worth staying up late for, especially if you were a transportation worker or general industry employee.
In the very wee hours this morning (Jan. 14), while most of the city was sleeping, turbines earmarked for the Site C project in Fort St. John made their way through Prince George in a continuation of its five-day expedition and turning some heads along the way.
The oversized cargo haul began in Prince Rupert earlier this week and, to avoid major traffic delays, has been travelling along Highway 16 at night with stops in various communities along the way.
Last night’s trek took the 17-by-26-foot turbine runners from Prince George to Bear Lake, with the goal to reach the Peace Region by early tomorrow morning (Jan. 15) if the schedule stays on time.
Several residents took videos and subsequently posted them to social media, sharing with others the skills of drivers tasked with bringing them safely to BC Hydro’s site, currently estimated at $12.5 billion to build.
This is the tail end of a long journey for the turbines themselves, which weigh roughly 170 tonnes each.
They were made in Brazil then shipped in October by cargo ship, docking at the Port of Prince Rupert on Dec. 2.
The runners are the heart of a turbine where water power is changed into rotational force, driving the generator that produces hydroelectricity.
More shipments are expected to arrive in Prince Rupert sometime in spring 2021 and again in summer 2022. Work on turbine installation is expected to peak in 2022.
Site C is slated for completion by 2024.
- with files from The Canadian Press
