Mica Dam Construction Timeline: British Columbia's Hydroelectric Giant

The Mica Dam, a concrete-faced rockfill embankment dam on the Columbia River near Revelstoke, British Columbia, is a landmark of Canadian hydroelectric engineering.

Construction Timeline

• Construction Period: 1973–1983 (10 years)
• First Power Generation: 1976 (Unit 1)—while construction continued on remaining units
• Full Completion: 1983 (all 4 original units operational)
• Expansion: Units 5 & 6 added 2014–2015 (Mica Expansion Project)

Key Specifications

• Type: Concrete-faced rockfill embankment
• Height: 243 m (797 ft)—tallest dam in Canada
• Crest Length: 1,445 m (4,741 ft)
• Reservoir: Kinbasket Lake (430 km long, 24.8 km³ capacity)
• Generating Capacity: Original 1,805 MW; expanded to 2,805 MW
• Project Cost: $1.2 billion (original); ~$700M expansion

Significance

Mica Dam is the sixth-largest dam globally by structure volume. It provides critical energy storage (Kinbasket Lake holds 7.5% of BC Hydro's total storage), flood control under the Columbia River Treaty, and firm power for British Columbia's grid. The expansion added 1,000 MW of capacity, enhancing grid reliability and enabling integration of intermittent renewables.

Environmental & Social Context

Construction flooded the Columbia River valley, displacing ecosystems and affecting Secwépemc, Ktunaxa, and Syilx territories. The Columbia River Treaty (1964) governs transboundary water management with the US. Modern operations balance power generation, flood control, fisheries, indigenous interests, and recreation.