The cost to run a NAS in British Columbia
By Devin Chua · Data checked by Owen Nakamura · Updated A 4-bay NAS running 24/7 in BC costs roughly CA$33–49 a year — and where in that range depends on BC Hydro's tiered rate: Step 1 is about 9.5¢/kWh, Step 2 about 14.1¢. The real question is whether your NAS's ~29 kWh a month tips your household past the Step 1 threshold into the pricier Step 2.
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Calculator pre-set to British Columbia (rate ~11¢/kWh, as of 2026-01, BC Hydro, Step 1/Step 2) — editable.
156 kWh/year · 18 W average at the wall
The same NAS costs about CA$4.98/year more here than in Quebec (7.8¢/kWh) — the cheapest place in Canada to run it.
A UPS adds a few percent loss but protects against the far costlier unclean shutdown. Annual figures use your current rate, drive count and active hours.
How BC's two-step rate works
BC Hydro's residential Conservation Rate has two steps: you pay the lower Step 1 (~9.5¢/kWh) up to a threshold (about 675 kWh over a two-month billing period, or ~11.25 kWh/day), and the higher Step 2 (~14.1¢/kWh) on everything above it. The step is designed to reward low use and penalise high use. For a NAS, the key insight is marginal: the NAS's power is added on top of your existing household use, so it is charged at whatever step you are already in.
Does a NAS push you into Tier 2?
A NAS adds about 29 kWh a month (~40 W). If your household already sits comfortably in Step 1, that 29 kWh is billed at ~9.5¢ — so the NAS costs about CA$33 a year. But if you are already near or over the Step 1 threshold (a common situation with electric heat, an EV, or a larger home), every one of the NAS's kWh falls into Step 2 at ~14.1¢ — about CA$49 a year. Same NAS, CA$16/year apart, decided entirely by your baseline usage. The calculator lets you set the rate to whichever step applies to your marginal kWh.
The BC takeaway
Because the NAS is charged at your marginal step, the way to keep it cheap in BC is partly about the NAS (fewer, larger drives, an efficient box) and partly about your whole-home usage staying in Step 1. If you are firmly in Step 2 already, the NAS simply costs the Step 2 rate and there is no trick to avoid it. Enter the step that matches your bill into the calculator above for your real figure.
Compare with other provinces
Frequently asked questions
How much does a NAS cost to run in BC?
Roughly CA$33 a year if your household stays in BC Hydro's Step 1 (~9.5¢/kWh), or about CA$49 if the NAS's power falls into Step 2 (~14.1¢/kWh). A 4-bay NAS adds ~29 kWh a month, and it is billed at whichever step your home is already in.
Will a NAS push my BC Hydro bill into Tier 2?
It can, if you are already near the Step 1 threshold (~675 kWh per two-month period). A NAS's ~29 kWh a month is added on top of your existing use, so if that tips you over, the NAS's kWh — and any other marginal use — are charged at the higher Step 2 rate.
How do I know which BC Hydro tier my NAS is billed at?
Check whether your two-month usage exceeds the Step 1 threshold on your bill. If you are under it, the NAS is billed at ~9.5¢; if you are over it, at ~14.1¢. Enter that rate into the calculator for your exact NAS cost.
Is BC cheap to run a NAS in?
Moderately — Step 1 (~9.5¢) is among the cheaper rates in Canada, close to Manitoba, while Step 2 (~14.1¢) is mid-pack. It sits well below Alberta and the Maritimes but above Quebec.
Devin Chua works out which drives, RAM and NVMe cache fit which NAS model at nasdrives.ca, and what the RAID choice means for usable capacity, checked against what is in stock on Amazon.ca.
Data checked by Owen Nakamura, Technical editor (data checking)