| Kootenay Canal | |
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| Official name | Kootenay Canal Generating Station |
| Location | Kootenays, British Columbia, Canada |
| Coordinates | |
| Opening date | 1976 |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Kootenay Lake |
| Surface area | 38,900 ha (389 km2) |
| Power station | |
| Operator(s) | BC Hydro |
| Hydraulic head | 84 M |
| Turbines | 4 |
| Maximum capacity | 583 MW |
The Kootenay Canal is 19km downstream of Nelson, British Columbia, Canada. Where the Kootenay River flows out of the reservoir formed by the Corra Linn Dam on Kootenay Lake.[1], a canal diverts water to BC Hydro's Kootenay Canal Generating Station. The powerhouse was completed in 1976.
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Water enters the canal from Corra Linn headpond and is diverted 4.5 km past Corra Linn Dam, City of Nelson Powerhouse[2], Upper Bonnington, Lower Bonnington and South Slocan.[3] Water then returns to the river after passing through the canal and powerhouse.[4]
The powerhouse houses four turbine-generator units. Power generated at Kootenay Canal plant is fed into BC Hydro's provincial grid via two lines running south to Selkirk Switching Station, near the Seven Mile Generating Station.[5]
In 1999 the four turbines were upgraded and increased output to a total of 583 MW.[6][7] Kootenay Canal and Seven Mile generating stations together supplied 10% of BC Hydro's electricity requirements. [8]
BC Hydro is allowed to divert water from five older hydroelectric plants owned by Fortis and the City of Nelson. FortisBC receives the amount of power their generating stations would have produced. Downstream the Brilliant Dam is in the agreement. On the Pend d'Oreille River the Seven Mile Dam and the Waneta Dam are also in the agreement.[9]