When planning to build a new residential or commercial building or if you are planning to upgrade an existing electrical service because of a renovation, contact Nelson Hydro Design Team as early as possible to start the appropriate site visit and work orders for temporary electrical service during construction. You may assign the steps below to your electrical contractor, but the applicant’s signature must be on the work orders. If you are applying to subdivide a parcel of land, please contact the City of Nelson Planning Department.

^{Please Note: No electrical connections can be scheduled until all payments, permits and necessary rights-of-way are finalized.}

1. Complete New Customer Electrical Service Application (PDF) form. Please have the following information ready:
   • name, mailing address and phone number of the account holder.
   • Location, street number and postal code for the physical location of the building location.
   • Legal property description that is located on the title for the property, and on the property tax notice for the building.
   • Licensed electrical contractor contact information.
2. If it is a change to an existing electrical service from a renovation, contact Nelson Hydro Design at nhdesign@nelson.ca 
3. Site visit is scheduled to ensure the meter and its attachment to the structure comply with standards. The electrical contractor must be present. 
   • It is your electrical contractors' responsibility to inform Nelson Hydro what size and type of electrical service your construction requires. That electrical service size, and whether the service is overhead or underground, will determine your temporary service connection charges during construction. 
4. Nelson Hydro prepares an estimate for the construction work.
5. Customer pays the estimate at City Hall. If an electrical line extension is required then a deposit must be paid. Actual project costs may be billed to the customer if construction costs exceed the original estimate.
6. Customer’s electrician makes the change or builds the service, and supplies the Work Safe BC Declaration to Nelson Hydro.
7. Nelson Hydro line crew schedules and completes work to connect the service to the electrical system.