Nelson Hydro is asking residents to limit electricity usage during peak hours as the region braces for more extreme weather conditions.
According to the city’s website, peak consumption hours are between 5-7 p.m.
Nelson Hydro says on its website that reducing power consumption during that time will ultimately save residents money by reducing peak demand charges from FortisBC, Nelson Hydro’s wholesale power supplier.
Peak demand charges occur when an irregular, high demand for energy has been reached by customers, forcing the city to purchase more energy.
City officials said Nelson Hydro reached a new electricity demand record of 45,393 kVA on Saturday at 6 p.m. The previous record was hit on Dec. 22, 2022, which saw peak demand hit 41,880 kVa, resulting in an additional $153,000 in power purchases from FortisBC, costing customers $13.55.
For Saturday’s record, only 13 days into 2024, Nelson Hydro says that the demand charges are expected to cost the city $530,000 more than budgeted for power purchases in 2024, equaling $46.86 per customer to be paid over the next 11 months.
Nelson Hydro has no way of knowing whether customers were cooperating with the request to limit power usage during peak hours over the weekend but told Vista Radio that if they did, it did not prevent the hydro company from setting a new record.
To ensure no further charges are incurred, Nelson Hydro is once again pleading with residents to cooperate and limit power usage during peak demand hours. High-electricity tasks such as laundry, dishwashing, bathing/showering, and electric vehicle charging should be done later in the evening or overnight when possible.
