Eldorado Hydroelectric Facility

Project Highlights

The District of Lake Country retained KWL to provide inspection services during construction of the Eldorado Hydroelectric Facility.

The project objective was to add a clean and sustainable hydroelectric generating facility to the existing water reservoir.

The project’s components included:

• modifying the water supply piping;
• constructing a powerhouse, tailrace and bypass piping;
• installing a turbine and generator;
• constructing a switchyard; and
• connecting to the BC Hydro power grid.

How Power is Generated

The water that powers the project originates at Beaver Lake where it enters an intake pipe and travels about three kilometres down to the reservoir.  The water picks up energy as it travels through the pipe and down an 186 m elevation drop.  Just before entering the reservoir, the water is piped through a pelton wheel turbine, which drives a 1.1 megawatt generator.  The power is then transmitted to BC Hydro via transmission lines connected to the switchyard.

Project Cost and Revenue

The facility cost about $4 million to construct and is expected to generate about 4,000 megawatt hours of power and $400,000 of revenue annually.