B

_. B8- The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, eS T 2006

Alcan investment —
included a tunnel

and power lines ©
as well as smelter

IN THE 1940s, the British Columbia govern-
ment wanted to develop the considerable re-
sources of the sparsely populated nor thivest

“and north central areas ofthe. province and’

to establish new population centres, without
risking taxpayers’ funds.

_ In the 1920s, the provincial Water Rights.

Branch had carried out a far-reaching survey
of B.C’s hydroelectric potential.

It was this survey that identified the pos-

“sibilities offered by what is known today as
_ the Nechako Watershed, a vast river and lake

_ system draining 14,000 square kilometres of
. line from Kemano to Kitimat across some

-, north central B.C.
Alcan was invited by the B. C. govern-
.. Ment. to.investigaie the establishment of an
aluminum industry in the northwest. Alcan

_- liked what it saw and: began the huge Kiti-

mat-Kemano project. ‘
In its day, it was the largest pr ivately-
funded construction project ever undertaken

in Canada. It cost $500 million in 1950 dol-'

lars - or more than $3: 3 billion in today’s
currency. “

The project included construction of sev--

eral components including the Kenney Dam
in the Nechako River Canyon, which re-
versed the river’s eastward flow and created
the Nechako Reservoir, plus:

- © A mechanism for controlling reservoir
water levels,’ commonly referred to as’ a

TOTEM FURNITURE & APPLIANCES

4501 Lakelse Avenue Terrace
638-1 158 © 1-800-813-1158

-_,..We appreciate the
Business Over The Years!

Our communities
are moving forward
with your help

“TERRACE.

TAN DARD

3210 Clinton Street, Terrace, B.C. V8G 5R2
Phone 638-7283 Fax 638-8432

www.terracestandard.com

Congratulations

Your Plan To Modernize | 7
Is great News! |

-KITSUMKALUM

BAND COUNCIL
Box 544 Terrace, B.C. 635-6177 _

Thank You For
Supporting The Northwest!

| Congratulations
On Your Annoucement!

RADIATOR

Roearies (iy hom, 6 Gk nleakl

635-8100

Unit 1 05-4526 Greig Ave., Terrace (Next:to minute Mufiler}
24 Hour Emergency Pager: 638-7388

dy . [THANK You FOR SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESS! a .

spillway, at Skins Lake.

«A 16- kilometre tunnel, as wide as a two- °

lane highway, drilled and blasted through

the coastal’ mountains to carry water to the
'. twin, penstocks of the Kemano powerhouse. |
_ Through these’ penstocks,' the water plunges.

800 metres nearly 16 times the height of Ni-
agara Falls -.o drive the generator turbines.

* A cathedral-shaped powerhouse, also -

drilled and. blasted 427 metres inside the

granite’ base of Mount DuBose, - to house

eight 112-megawatt generators. |
e An 82-kilometre power transmission

of the most: rugged mountain territory in
B.C., through the Kildala Pass, | 500 metres
above-sea-level.

* Construction of a smelter and wharf
at tidewater in the previously undeveloped

- Kitimat Valley.
- ® Creation of two townsites from wilder-

ness territory in Kitimat and Kemano.
Prior to the Alcan development, non- na-

tive settlement in the region was sparse, con-~

sisting mainly of those pioneers who moved

.into the region in the early 1900s in the hope.
‘that a railroad terminus would be established

at tidewater. However, the Kitimat Val-

ley had been inhabited by the people of the .
’ Haisla nation, a, Kwakiutl Indian language- -
group, many years prior to Alcan’s arrival.

THE DELTA King, pictured ‘here, ‘became an integral part of Alcan:and Kitimat history when it was used as a
- dormitory for men working on the smelter construction project in the early and mid 1950s. Fabricated in Scot-
land, the Delta King, and a sister ship, the Delta Queen, were assembled in California in 1927. Both were used
for training by the US Navy during the Second World War. The Delta King was docked at what became known
as Hospital Beach during its years of Kitimat service. That beach was the location last week of a massive Alcan
celebration to recognize the.smelter modernization’ announcement: The Delta King had many uses after being
taken away from Kitimat in 1950. It’s now a restaurant and hotel in Sacramento. ' _- PHOTO COURTESY ALCAN

go

Congratulations

ALCAN

YOUR EXPANSION
_ ANNOUNCEMENT
MAKES FORA
‘STRONG FUTURE

Your Expansion —
Announcement Is Great.
News To Our Community :

_ SAFEWAY S.

Ingredients for life.

Power Line
Construction.
and Maintenance

Watch For Our Big Announcement Later T his
weer — Both Our Drive Thru | Locations