Kemano Generating Station

{{Infobox dam

| name = Kemano Generating Station

| image =

| image_caption =

| name_official =

| location = Kemano, British Columbia, Canada

| construction_began =

| opening = 1954

| demolished =

| cost =

| owner =

| res_name = Nechako Reservoir

| res_capacity_total ={{convert|32.7|km3|acre feet|abbr=on}}

| res_catchment =

| res_surface =

| res_max_depth =

| plant_operator = Rio Tinto Alcan

| plant_turbines = 8

| spillway_type =

| spillway_capacity =

| plant_annual_gen =

| plant_type =

| plant_commission =

| plant_capacity = 890 MW (max.)

| plant_hydraulic_head = 790 M

| location_map = Canada British Columbia geo

| location_map_caption = Location within British Columbia

| coordinates = {{coord|53|33|47.8|N|127|56|31.8|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| website =

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}}

The Kemano Generating Station is situated 75 km (47 mi) southeast of Kitimat in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It was completed in 1954, providing hydroelectricity for Alcan's Kitimat Aluminum smelter. The powerhouse is built in a cavern created 427 m (1,400 ft) inside the base of Mt Dubose. It produces 896 MW of power from its eight generator units, each of which has a capacity of 112 MW. It was the largest producer in the province when it was built, and is now the fifth largest electrical plant in British Columbia.

The Kemano I project was made possible by constructing the largest rockfill dam in the world at the time, the Kenney Dam on the east side of the Nechako reservoir, some 193 km (120 mi) to the east. On the west side of the Nechako reservoir, a {{convert|16|km|mi|adj=on}} long water intake tunnel running through the Coast Mountain range diverts river water to penstocks for a huge {{convert|790|m|ft|adj=on}}{{cite web|url=http://www.riotintobcoperations.com/about-us/our-business|title=Our business|work=riotintobcoperations.com}} vertical drop to the power station at the former company town of Kemano, BC.{{cite news|title=Power Operations/Watershed Management |author=Rio Tinto Alcan | work= Rio Tinto Alcan Primary Metal BC Operations }}

In 1995, the provincial government cancelled the Kemano Completion Project (Kemano II) that Alcan had been planning since 1987.

The additional tunnel dubbed "Kemano T2" was completed in December 2022. No additional power generation was added.{{cite press release |title=Rio Tinto completes Kemano hydropower project |url=https://www.riotinto.com/en/news/releases/2022/rio-tinto-completes-kemano-hydropower-project |website=Rio Tinto |language=en |date=1 December 2022}}

The smelter at Kitimat consumes about 80-85% of the plant's electricity, and the remainder is sold to BC Hydro's Powerex.{{cite news |title=Future Must Be Built On Facts |work=Alcan Primary Metal |volume=1 |date=September 2005 |url=http://www.riotintobcoperations.com/wp-content/uploads/Future_Built_on_Facts_Brochure-Sept2005_vol1.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924091256/http://www.riotintobcoperations.com/wp-content/uploads/Future_Built_on_Facts_Brochure-Sept2005_vol1.pdf |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |location=British, Columbia}}