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Sorry to use a topical weather aphorism, but it never rains but it pours at #SiteC. The 2 reservoirs above Site C are reaching full pond; heavy rains pushed woody debris onto the Site C debris boom; & now there are rumours of river diversion tunnel structural problems 1/x #bcpoli
..Keeping in mind that secrecy is high at #SiteC & it's hard for info to break through the opacity, especially now with more social distancing, have a look at this report by a Peace area resident in the "Say NO to Site C Dam!" Facebook group. #bcpoli https://www.facebook.com/groups/5491717354/permalink/10161539463027355/
Again: none of this is confirmed. I am just flagging it because it so closely matches predictions by several of my sources who had worked in those tunnels. This section: "Word in the valley is that one of the diversion tunnels being built has big structural issues." #SiteC
Given the unusual rains, maybe we should be asking for transparency about what's going on at the #SiteC site, whether or not a safety review is in order, and whether or not we should be seeing a revised budget, given that all these geotechnical problems are costing us all money.
Please assure us of safety of #SiteC workers & downstream residents, Premier @jjhorgan & Energy Minister @BruceRalston. The public deserves transparency re: conditions in the river diversion tunnels, as the September deadline to divert the Peace River thru them fast approaches.
More remarks from Peace region resident Randy Hadland's post on reports of trouble in the #SiteC diversion tunnels. Hadland is a longtime observer of the #SiteC project & in my experience extremely well informed. We need #BCHydro & #BCNDP to put these rumours to rest. #bcpoli
..One concerning section: reports saying "They are having trouble solidifying the exit on one tunnel, so if they start the diversion they could have excessive erosion at that point & the erosion could start to eat backward into the hill. Not good for...the camp directly above..."
..& worse, we're hearing 'There is also some problem with..one of the joins between two of the [interior concrete tunnel] forms which would allow water to leak from the tunnel' - and into the surrounding shale, which as we know has neither shear nor bearing strength when wet.
I avoid reporting rumour but the reason I think we need these reports contradicted by the BC govt & BC Hydro is that they eerily match warnings by both engineer observer friends & by worker sources with first hand stories from the tunnels. And because safety stakes are so high.
Here's one story from a worker in the first #SiteC diversion tunnel, told to me in person in January. It's re: the machine they use to try & stabilize the tunnels bored through the weak shale. It pours a thick concrete liner behind a mould, to line the tunnel & prevent collapse.
He said they poured the mould in segments, then inched the machine forward to the next segment. There's a join between each. They clamp the machine to the tunnel at each segment but can forget to remove them, dragging them along the roof..He described the process as "a shitshow."
(PS It's not surprising mistakes like that were made in the tunnels. Same worker source said that the silica dust was often so thick in the tunnels that he *could not see the end of his own arm.* #SiteC was slapped with a nearly $1 million fine for that.) https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/site-c-high-risk-worker-fined-1.5448208
These joins between segments of concrete liner in #SiteC` tunnels have also been flagged by engineers looking at @sitecproject's own photos of the tunnel interiors, as a weak point. So again: can we please have assurance from govt & Hydro that this river diversion will be safe?
I see I have an upset NDP/union guy on this thread from one of the unions that lobbied hard for #SiteC: Unifor. Unsurprising I guess. To review, unions lobbied for #SiteC. Interestingly, they haven't yelled about dangerous conditions for workers on site. https://thenarwhal.ca/ndp-union-heavyweights-come-out-fighting-site-c/
