Puntledge diversion dam

Canada / British Columbia / Cumberland /
 dam, hydroelectric power station/plant
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In 1912 Canadian Collieries (Dunsmuir) Ltd. developed the hydroelectric potential of Comox Lake and the Puntledge River to provide electricity for the operation of its coal mines in the Cumberland area. The BC Power Commission, BC Hydro's predecessor, acquired the Puntledge hydroelectric development in 1953. By 1955 the company had rebuilt the diversion dam, penstocks and powerhouse to quadruple the systems electrical output to the local community. Additional improvements included upgrading the dam in 1982.

The Puntledge Diversion Dam is a concrete buttress dam, 30.5 m long and 5.5 m high. The Diversion Dam forms the headpond for the intake and for the fishways on the left bank of the Puntledge River. The power intake is a 5 km long steel and woodstave penstock to the Puntledge River Powerhouse.
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Coordinates:   49°39'53"N   125°5'37"W
This article was last modified 14 years ago