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KOOTENAY RIVER, B.C. – Southwest Contracting has announced it is carrying out infrastructure upgrades on the 93-year-old Fortis Dam, situated between Nelson and Castlegar on the Kootenay River.

The intent behind the project is to ensure the dam’s long-term stability by installing 20 micropiles to reinforce the foundation of a new structure, explains a release.

The Fortis Dam plays a critical role in the region’s energy supply and water management. By reinforcing the dam’s foundations, Southwest Contracting is helping to protect a vital piece of regional infrastructure that has supported the community for almost a century, the release reads.

Southwest Contracting is working in partnership with Western Industrial Contractors Ltd. and AtkinsRéalis and is leveraging innovative construction techniques and advanced engineering to complete the project.

“The use of micropiles — specialized steel reinforcements drilled deep into the earth — ensures that the new structure’s foundations remain stable, even under significant environmental pressures,” the release states.