Peace Canyon Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peace Canyon Dam |
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 Location within British Columbia
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| Location | Hudson's Hope, British Columbia, Canada |
| Coordinates | 55°58′55″N 121°59′40″W / 55.98194°N 121.99444°W |
| Owner(s) | BC Hydro |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Peace River |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Dinosaur Lake |
| Power station | |
| Installed capacity | 694 MW |
| Capacity factor | 57.6% |
| Annual generation | 3,500 GWh |
The Peace Canyon Dam is a large dam in northern British Columbia, Canada. It is built on the Peace River. This dam helps create hydroelectricity, which is electricity made from moving water.
The dam is about 6 kilometers (4 miles) southwest of a town called Hudson's Hope. It is also about 23 kilometers (14 miles) downstream from another big dam, the W.A.C. Bennett Dam.
Contents
Building the Dam
The Peace Canyon Dam is made of concrete and stands about 50 meters (164 feet) tall. It was finished in 1980. When the dam was built, it created a long lake behind it. This lake is called Dinosaur Lake and stretches for about 21 kilometers (13 miles).
How the Dam Makes Electricity
The dam has four special machines called generating units. These units work together to make a lot of power. They can produce up to 700 MW of electricity at their peak. To give you an idea, 1 megawatt can power about 750 homes!
Every year, the dam typically produces over 3,500 GWh (gigawatt-hours) of electricity. This is a huge amount of clean energy. It helps power many homes and businesses in British Columbia.
Visiting the Dam
While you cannot go inside the Peace Canyon Dam building, there is a great viewpoint for visitors. This spot has picnic tables where you can relax. There are also information panels that explain more about the dam and how it works. It's a good place to learn about hydroelectric power.
More to Explore
- List of electrical generating stations in Canada
- List of generating stations in BC
Other Websites
- Peace Canyon Dam Visitor Centre
