W. A. C. Bennett Dam
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The W. A. C. Bennett Dam is a large hydroelectric earthfill dam in northern British Columbia. The dam, located 12 miles west of Hudson's Hope, and 53 miles northwest of Chetwynd, is named after the late former premier William A. C. Bennett, and came on-line in 1968.
During the planning and construction phase it was called the "Portage Mountain Dam". The complex consists of the main earthfill dam, which holds back Williston Lake, and the underground Gordon M. Shrum Generating Station. It is one of the largest hydroelectric dams in the world, and is capable of generating 2,730 megawatts of electricity at peak capacity.
Stats:
- Location:
- Altitude: 2,165 feet (660 m) above sea level
- Height: 625 feet (191 m)
- Length: 1.25 miles (2000 m)
- Gordon M. Shrum Generating Station
- Ten 273,000-kilowatt units
- Total capacity: 2,730 megawatts
