Idaho

Legislative activities

In 2007 the Idaho Legislature issued the “2007 Idaho Energy Plan,” which “establishes conservation, energy efficiency, and demand response as the highest priority resource for Idaho, and local renewable resources as the second highest priority.” Idaho also has passed a statute that allows for solar easements to transfer with the property title. [1]

Regulatory activities

The Idaho Public Utilities Commission first addressed distributed generation with the solar photovoltaic pilot program on customer’s structures but utility owned and operated solar photovoltaic program prior to 1996. By 1996 interconnection standards were designed by each utility with distributed generation in mind. By 2006 there was also standby service provided capacity for customers that had distributed generation on site. By 2006 the Commission had reviewed time-of-use rates for both residential and business. Demand side management had been addressed for business customers through load reduction programs and interruptible accounts prior to 2006 with residential demand side management being reviewed by 2007. [3, 4, 5]

Time-of-Use and Time-of-Day rates break the cost for electricity into periods on a seasonal basis with on-peak, mid-peak, or off-peak energy pricing.

Distributed generators include standby service to supplement the customer’s own on-site generation, qualifying cogeneration, and small power production facilities.

Load/demand side management and the Energy Exchange pilot program provides a monetary incentive to allow specific electrical equipment to be de-energized or cycled during cycling events in specific times of the year. Interruptible accounts provides at a minimum 60% firm power for load that has the option of de-energizing at the request of the company.

Utilities and Rate Schedules

Avista Corporation
- Avista Corporation Rates

Idaho Power
- Idaho Power Rates

Rocky Mountain Power
- Rocky Mountain Power Rates

See the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) for information on consumer-owned Cooperatives: http://www.nreca.org/members/MemberDirectory/Pages/default.aspx

State-Level Incentives

Idaho has several incentives on renewable energy generation including personal tax deductions, property tax incentives, and sales tax incentives. The state also offers low interest energy loans that include renewable energy, cogeneration, and energy management systems. For Independent Power Producers there is a renewable energy bond program.

More information can be found in the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE): http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?re=1&ee=1&spv=0&st=0&srp=1&state=ID

Additional Resources

State Energy Office:
- Office of Energy Resources

State Authority Dealing with Energy Regulation:
- Idaho Public Utilities Commission
- Docket Search: http://www.puc.idaho.gov/fileroom/fileroom.htm

Idaho Statutes

Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE): http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?re=1&ee=1&spv=0&st=0&srp=1&state=ID

References

[1] Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, Idaho Solar Easements, 12/21/2009. URL: http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=ID02R&re=1&ee=1
[2] Demand Response and Smart Metering Policy Actions Since the Energy Policy Act of 2005: A Summary for State Officials, Prepared by the U.S. Demand Response Coordinating Committee for The National Council on Electricity Policy, Fall 2008. URL: http://www.oe.energy.gov/DocumentsandMedia/NCEP_Demand_Response_1208.pdf
[3] Avista, Idaho Electric. URL: http://www.avistautilities.com/services/energypricing/id/elect/Pages/default.aspx
[4] Rocky Mountain Power, Idaho Regulatory Information. URL: http://www.rockymountainpower.net/about/rar/iri.html
[5] Idaho Power, Retail Tariffs in Idaho. URL: http://www.idahopower.com/AboutUs/RatesRegulatory/Tariffs/default.cfm?state=id