BC Hydro selects preferred proponent for worker accommodation contract
ATCO Structures Calgary manufacturing facility builds remote living quarters and high end lodges like the one shown. — Photo courtesy ATCO Structures
BC Hydro has selected Two Rivers Lodging Group as the preferred proponent for the Site C worker accommodation contract as part of the competitive selection process for the design, construction, partial financing, operation and maintenance of worker accommodation at the Site C dam site.
A rigorous evaluation process concluded that Two Rivers Lodging Group met BC Hydro’s requirements for Site C worker accommodation within the budget established for this contract. Two Rivers Lodging Group is made up of ATCO Structures & Logistics Ltd. and Bird Design Build Construction Inc. ATCO and Bird have extensive experience in the area of designing, constructing and operating worker accommodation facilities, including in northern climates. ATCO Structures & Logistics has successfully constructed and operated accommodation for up to 20,000 workers. BC Hydro issued a Request for Qualifications in March 2014 and received 11 responses. In September 2014, BC Hydro shortlisted three proponent teams to provide proposals for worker accommodation at the dam site. A contract is expected to be awarded in late summer, with a limited notice to proceed in advance of contract award. Building upon the business-to-business networking sessions held in Fort St. John in 2014, further sessions are planned for this fall for local and regional businesses and job-seekers to meet with the worker accommodation preferred proponent and respondents to other Site C contracts.
The worker accommodation for Site C will be built to house approximately 1,600 workers, with services and utilities designed to accommodate a total capacity of 2,200, if required. To minimize the impact on nearby communities, the camp will be self-sufficient and designed to accommodate the fluctuating number of workers. The quality of worker accommodation is a key component of the project’s labour approach to attract and retain workers in what is expected to be a period of high demand for skilled workers. Guest rooms are anticipated to have a private bathroom, a TV and Wi-Fi services. In addition, workers will have choices regarding dining options, indoor and outdoor recreational amenities, as well as leisure and entertainment facilities.
Guests rooms at the facility are expected to have a private bathroom, TV and wi-fi services. — Photo courtesy ATCO Structures
ABOUT SITE C: The Site C Clean Energy Project will be a third dam and hydroelectric generating station on the Peace River in northeast B.C. It will provide 1,100 megawatts (MW) of dependable capacity, and produce about 5,100 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity each year to the province’s integrated electricity system. In December 2014, the Site C project received approval from the provincial government to proceed to construction. Construction of the project is planned to start in summer 2015 and be complete in 2024. Once built, Site C will be a source of clean, reliable and affordable electricity for more than 100 years.
