Churchill Falls Generating Station, Hydroelectric power station in Labrador, Canada
Churchill Falls is an underground hydroelectric station in Labrador that operates deep beneath the surface in excavated rock chambers. Water flows through tunnels and drives turbines before returning to the natural river course.
Construction began in the late sixties and brought thousands of workers to this remote region of Newfoundland. The facility went into operation gradually after the reservoir was flooded and machinery tested.
The falls that once cascaded freely gave their name to the station and shaped local geography before being redirected for power generation. Fishers now visit the reservoir for trout species that adapted to the cold waters created by the dam.
Visitors descend by elevator deep into the rock where the turbines become visible. Tours run regularly, and sturdy footwear is recommended for the walkways and stairs inside the power station.
The rock chambers of the facility were blasted from solid granite and lie nearly as deep as a skyscraper is tall. The name of the site recalls the British prime minister, though the falls themselves are barely visible now due to the dam.
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