BOISE, Idaho — Idaho Power’s latest long-term energy plan shows new clean-energy resources, transmission and energy storage will be the keys to continue providing customers with reliable service and affordable electricity while keeping up with the region’s growth.
The company submits an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) to state regulators every two years, detailing plans for serving customers over the next 20 years. This IRP also outlines the conversion of coal-fired generation to natural gas and accelerates the company’s forecasted carbon emission reductions compared to the previous plan.
Idaho Power develops the IRP with the assistance of customers and other interest groups through an advisory panel — the Integrated Resource Plan Advisory Council (IRPAC). The IRPAC includes members of the environmental community, major industrial customers, irrigation representatives, state legislators, public utility commission staff and other interested parties.
“A lot of work goes into identifying future infrastructure needs and ensuring the most reliable, affordable and least-risk plan to address those needs, especially in a region that is expanding rapidly,” said Mitch Colburn, Vice President of Planning, Engineering and Construction. “The IRP is the culmination of more than a year of hard work by Idaho Power employees and IRPAC members, whose time and expertise make our plan better.”
Idaho Power serves more than 620,000 customers in southern Idaho and eastern Oregon. That number is projected to increase to 855,000 by 2043 — an almost 38% increase over two decades. This growth is expected to result in a substantial increase in demand for electricity, with peak demand rising an average of 80 megawatts (MW) per year.
The 20-year plan includes the net addition of 6,888 MW of resources — including wind, solar, and storage technologies — and a variety of energy efficiency and other demand-side management resource additions. Demand-side management helps to decrease energy use through energy efficiency measures and programs that reduce customer energy use during periods of high demand.
Transmission is another important part of the plan. The 500 kilovolt (kV) Boardman to Hemingway transmission line is scheduled to come online in 2026, allowing the company to exchange energy with the Pacific Northwest and, in particular, import energy in the summer when Idaho Power’s demand is greatest.
Gateway West, another 500 kV project, will help move energy from new solar and wind resources across Idaho Power’s service area, providing essential reliability to the energy grid. The Gateway West transmission line will run from eastern Wyoming to the Hemingway substation near Melba, Idaho. The 2023 IRP shows key segments coming online by the end of 2028, with future additions after that.
The public can review and comment on the plan through either the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (case IPC-E-23-23) or Public Utility Commission of Oregon (docket LC 84). The IRP is available at idahopower.com/IRP.
About Idaho Power
Idaho Power, headquartered in vibrant and fast-growing Boise, Idaho, has been a locally operated energy company since 1916. Today, it serves a 24,000-square-mile area in Idaho and Oregon. The company’s goal to provide 100% clean energy by 2045 builds on its long history as a clean-energy leader that provides reliable service at affordable prices. With 17 low-cost hydroelectric projects at the core of its diverse energy mix, Idaho Power’s residential, business and agricultural customers pay among the nation’s lowest prices for electricity. Its 2,000 employees proudly serve more than 620,000 customers with a culture of safety first, integrity always and respect for all.
IDACORP Inc. (NYSE: IDA), Idaho Power’s independent publicly traded parent company, is also headquartered in Boise, Idaho. To learn more, visit idahopower.com or idacorpinc.com.
Brad Bowlin
Communications Specialist
bbowlin@idahopower.com
208-388-2803