Construction milestone reached in the Muskrat Falls spillway
October 2, 2015 – The Muskrat Falls Project achieved a major milestone this week with the completion of concrete placement for the spillway piers on September 30, 2015.
Construction of the spillway progressed significantly in 2015, with over 48,000 m3 of concrete poured for the structure by the contractor constructing the powerhouse and spillway, Astaldi Canada. With the completion of these activities, construction will focus on installing spillway gates in preparation for river diversion next year.
Concrete placement for the Muskrat Falls spillway piers was completed on September 30, 2015. Over 48,000 m3 of concrete was poured for the structure, which is about 43 m tall.
The primary function of the spillway is to release water in the reservoir that isn’t needed to generate electricity in the powerhouse. The spillway at Muskrat Falls will have five bays with gates that can be opened or closed as necessary to control the release of water. When installed, the spillway gates will be taller than a seven-story building, measuring 10.5 m wide, 23 m high. Each gate will weigh approximately 200 tonnes.
In 2016, the river will be diverted through the spillway to enable construction of the north dam at Muskrat Falls.
