Knowledgeable crowd questions Nelson Hydro staff during Open House
By Nelson Daily Staff
Approximately 30 people gathered at the Adventure Hotel Banquet Room Thursday night for the Nelson Hydro Open House.
The event was scheduled to allow for the public to hear and ask questions of Nelson Hydro staff regarding the planned rate change hike.
Nelson Hydro General Manager Alex Love, EcoSave Program Coordinator, Carmen Proctor, Operations Manager Dan and Line Manager Darrel Manchur took to the podium to address the crowd during the first hour of the evening.
They were joined by Nelson Mayor Deb Kozak for the question and answer session that followed.
Some topics of discussion included infrastructure upgrades, operating efficiency and reducing operating costs.
Tom Newell, Regional District of Central Kootenay Area F Rep expressed his concern on why some hydro users are able to access rebates while others don’t and would like to open dialogue with the City to resolve this issue.
The Nelson Hydro increase of 2.25% is effective April 1, 2018 for both the urban and rural residential as well as commercial customers through all rate classes.
Nelson Hydro is owned and operated by the City which supplies electrical service for Nelson and surrounding area.
Nelson Hydro services 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.
The utility produces most of its power at the hydro plant located at Bonnington on the Kootenay River, with the balance purchased from FortisBC.
