Costs for electrical design projects
If we need to add infrastructure such as power lines, poles, and transformers, or increase the capacity of our system so you can receive electricity service from us, this requires electrical design and construction.
At different stages of the project, you may need to pay for the following:
- Design deposit
- Extension fee
- Standard charges
- Revenue guarantee
Learn more about each of these costs below. If we don't need to add infrastructure to get you connected, see our charges for standard connections instead.
Design deposit
We'll need to collect a non-refundable deposit from you before we start design work.
See typical deposit amounts below. Exceptions will apply for very large projects or those that are difficult to scope.
Design deposits by project type
| Project type | Deposit amount |
|---|---|
Small design projects
|
Waived |
Medium design projects
|
$2,000 |
Large design projects
|
$5,000 |
Making a payment
You can pay for the design deposit via online banking (preferred), in-person at your bank, or by cheque. For more details, see payment options.
A design deposit invoice will be emailed to the account holder. The account holder is the person or company identified on the authorization form (see payment options) in your design services application.
Deposits are non-refundable and are collected before the design begins to cover the costs for preparing the design and the construction invoice. If your project doesn’t proceed to construction, the deposit won't be reimbursed.
Design deposits are exempt from GST.
Extension fees
The extension fee is your share of the cost to supply and install the infrastructure (poles, transformers, wire/cable, and underground conduit) along with other costs necessary to receive service from us. This fee is included in the construction costs on the construction invoice you’ll receive after the design work is done, and will be collected before construction begins.
BC Hydro contributions for Rate Zone 1
If the service location is within Rate Zone 1, your cost may be reduced by our contribution towards construction cost and any credits you may qualify for.
| Rate class | BC Hydro maximum contribution |
|---|---|
| Residential | $1,475 per single-family dwelling |
| General service | $200 per kW of estimated billing demand |
| Street lighting | $150 per fixture |
| Irrigation | $150 per kW of estimated billing demand |
For regulatory information about our extension fee policy, please read section 8 of our Electric Tariff [PDF, 1.4 MB].
Making a payment
You can pay for the construction invoice via online banking (preferred), in-person at your bank, or by cheque. For more details, see payment options.
Refunds
If new customers connect to your extension within five years of the in-service date, you may be eligible for a refund. View refund eligibility and calculations [PDF, 3.9 MB].
To request a refund, complete the extension fee refund application [PDF, 114 KB].
Financial assistance for homes and farms
We offer financial assistance toward the cost of electrical extensions to serve principal residences, principal residences on farms, and farm irrigation. View extension fee financial assistance eligibility [PDF, 1.8 MB].
Standard charges
For secondary voltage (750V or less) electrical connections, you'll need to pay a standard charge for the installation of a meter and wire/cable between our infrastructure and your meter base, wiring or switch if applicable.
In some cases, this charge will be included as part of the construction costs in your invoice, but in other cases may be charged separately at the time of service connection.
View the list of standard charges.
Revenue guarantee
If your project has an expected maximum demand greater than 100 kW, you may need to provide us with a guarantee in the form of cash or a letter of credit. The maximum amount of the guarantee will be equal to all or part of our contribution toward construction costs, and it will be held for a period of up to five years after the in-service date.
How guarantees are evaluated
At the end of the guarantee period, we'll re-evaluate our contribution toward the extension costs. The calculation is based on the number of customers connected to the extension, and the average electricity demand of those customers over the guarantee period.
Based on the re-evaluation, we may refund the guarantee, either in whole, or in part. Please note that no interest will be paid on the guarantee.
Example of a guarantee calculation
You build an extension for a service with an estimated demand of 500 kW per month. We provide a contribution toward construction of $200 per kW of estimated demand. You provide a $100,000 guarantee for five years, which is equal to our contribution toward construction:
Calculation: 500 kW estimated demand x $200 per kW of estimated demand = $100,000
After five years of service, we review your account and determine that the actual average monthly demand is 400 kW, which is lower than the original estimated demand. We will keep $20,000 and return $80,000 of the guarantee: