Project Location
Caribou Creek flows into the Arrow Lakes, approximately 3 km east of Burton and 35 km south of Nakusp.

Caribou Creek is a good location for run-of-river hydro for the following reasons:

• The site has availability of water throughout the year enabling a relatively reliable source of electricity capacity
• There are falls on the creek which provides a natural barrier to fish migration in the creek, thus minimizing impacts to fish habitats
• The steep nature of the terrain allows for greater pressure of flow which increases the power output and efficiency of the facility
• There is an existing logging road which provides access, reduces the amount of clearing required and reduces the size of the footprint
• There are supplies and services available from neighbouring communities for construction and operation
   

Project Need
Currently, British Columbians use more power than is generated in the province and this is expected to continue.  BC Hydro is looking for clean and renewable power to ensure the province’s future electricity supply. BC Hydro is asking Independent Power Producers to develop new sources of renewable, non-polluting electrical energy to ensure that the province has sufficient electricity to meet current and future needs.

Benefits
The Caribou Creek Hydro Facility will offer a number of benefits including the following:

• A renewable and non-polluting and cost effective source of new electricity supply for British Columbians
• Helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing our reliance on electricity imports - potentially offsetting approximately 34,000 tonnes of CO2 as compared with coal or gas fired generation.
• Enhancing local and regional reliability of power supply
• Providing employment opportunities during construction (2 years) and plant operation
• Supporting the local economy during construction through purchase of goods and services

Facility Description
Hydromax Energy is proposing to build and operate a 17 megawatt (MW) run-of-river power generation facility – enough power for 5,700 homes.  This facility will offer a new source of renewable, non-polluting electrical energy to British Columbians, offsetting a possible 34,000 tonnes of CO2 per year compared with coal or gas fired generation.

The proposed Caribou Creek Hydro Facility is a small run-of-river hydroelectric generator. Small run-of-river projects are free from many of the environmental problems associated with large-scale hydropower projects because there is no large reservoir of water and they use natural river flow, thus producing no change in the stream channel and flow upstream or downstream of the facility.

For the Caribou Creek Run-of-River Hydro Project, a portion of a river's water is diverted to a pressurized pipeline (penstock) that delivers it to a waterwheel or turbine. The moving water rotates the wheel or turbine, which spins a shaft. The motion of the shaft can be used to power a generator to produce electricity.  All diverted water is returned to the creek.

As part of this project a transmission line will also be required from the powerhouse to an interconnection point on the BC Transmission Corporation (BCTC) transmission system.  This will require construction of a substation and approximately 2.5 km of power lines which will be, for the most part, along existing roads and right of ways.    

Commitment to the Community
Hydromax Energy is committed to being an excellent corporate neighbour in the community and will provide timely and meaningful consultation with stakeholders about this proposed facility. Hydromax will work in a collaborative and responsive manner to share information about the proposed Caribour Creek Hydro Facility and listen to, understand and address stakeholder concerns.

A comprehensive public consultation program has been developed to provide opportunities for interested parties to become engaged in dialogue and information sharing about this project from planning through operations. Through a series of activities including information packages, community open houses, and personal meetings, Hydromax looks forward to building long-term relationships with the local community.