Churchill Falls - Planning the Project

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The project officially opened on July 17, 1967 when Newfoundland and Labrador Premiere, Joseph R. Smallwood, turned the first sod. The first sod was actually caribou moss because sod does not grow in this area. Thus began five years of frenzied construction.

Once all the dykes were in place it provided a vast storage area which later became known as Smallwood Reservoir. This reservoir covers 5,698 sq km (2,200 sq miles) and provides storage area for more than 1,000-billion cubic feet (28 million cubic meters) of water. Only uninhabited bog and muskeg areas were flooded to form the reservoir.

The drainage area for the Churchill River includes much of western and central Labrador. Ossokmanuan Reservoir which was originally developed as part of the Twin Falls Power System also drains into this system. Churchill River's natural drainage area covers over 60,347 sq km (23,300 sq miles). Once Orma and Sail Lakes' outlets were dyked, it added another 11,396 sq km (4,400 sq miles) of drainage for a total of 71,743 sq km (26,700 sq miles). This makes the drainage area almost as large as the province of New Brunswick (or the combined landmass of Delaware, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maryland). Studies showed this drainage area collected 41 cm (16 in) of rainfall plus 391cm (12.8 ft) of snowfall annually equaling twelve and a half cubic miles (52 cubic kilometers) of water per year; more than enough to meet the project's needs.

When construction was finished, there were 11 power generating units with a rated capacity of 5,225 MW of power. Energy started flowing down the first transmission line on November 19, 1971 at 3:44 PM, Churchill Falls Time, and on December 6, regular power transmission was established. It was completed five months and three weeks ahead of schedule and on budget.