Account Overview

Service Area

Nelson Hydro is a City of Nelson owned and operated utility, and is the local supply authority for electrical service in the City of Nelson and surrounding area. The Nelson Hydro service area covers from the Nelson Hydro Power Plant on Kootenay River to the west, Blewett, Taghum, Sproule and Grohman Creek, the City of Nelson, Highway 6 south towards Salmo to Perrier Road and beyond, north and east along Kootenay Lake to Harrop - Procter, Balfour, Queens Bay and terminating at Coffee Creek north of Queens Bay along Kootenay Lake.

Generation

Nelson Hydro owns and operates a 16 MW hydroelectric generation facility located at Bonnington Falls on the Kootenay River 16 km southwest of Nelson. The current water license allows a year-round output of 9.1 MW, which represents about 55% of our annual energy requirements. Operating costs for generation includes maintenance of the four generating units and of the buildings and property, water license fees and insurance. The powerplant serves an important function in that it tempers the rate impacts that FortisBC increases would otherwise have on our customers.

Learn about the history of Nelson Hydro by clicking on the link.History of Nelson Hydro