Important dam safety project nearing completion in northeast Ontario

This important work ensures extreme floodwater can safely bypass OPG’s four Lower Mattagami River stations, which include the Little Long, Smoky Falls, Harmon, and Kipling hydro generating facilities. It also helps OPG comply with updated dam safety requirements established by the Province of Ontario.

“Being able to report that the project is nearing completion, on time and on budget, is a testament to the collaboration between various groups, including the OPG team, project contractors, Indigenous communities, local residents, and regulators,” said Project Manager Tranal Chow. “Once the remaining sluice gate work is complete, the focus will move to site rehabilitation phase. We will continue to manage water safely at our generating stations and control structures, in accordance with the Mattagami River Water Management Plan.”

The project directly supports OPG’s Climate Change Plan by fortifying and adapting the company’s infrastructure to be more resilient against climate-related impacts.

At the same time, the project is also supporting OPG’s Reconciliation Action Plan, with more than $60 million in contracts awarded to Indigenous vendors. OPG continues to engage with local Indigenous communities on project updates and employment opportunities.

In 2015, OPG’s Lower Mattagami hydro complex was redeveloped in partnership with Moose Cree First Nation. The $2.6-billion project – the largest hydro build in the north in more than 50 years – involved adding a third generating unit to the Little Long, Harmon, and Kipling stations, and completely redeveloping Smoky Falls GS. In all, the project added about 450 megawatts of new clean generating capacity for Ontario.

The Little Long Dam Safety project, along with the similar Smoky Falls Dam Safety project underway at Smoky Falls GS, will help support this important hydro complex for decades to come.