Idaho Power's Long-Term Resource Plan Targets Significant Renewable and Storage Expansion Amidst Projected 45% Demand Surge
Key Insights
Idaho Power's latest Integrated Resource Plan projects a nearly 45% increase in peak demand over the next two decades, driven by population and commercial growth.
The utility plans to add substantial renewable capacity, including 1,445 MW of solar, 885 MW of battery storage, and 700 MW of wind power.
Key infrastructure developments, such as new transmission lines and enhanced demand response programs, are critical to ensure grid reliability and manage peak loads.
The plan also addresses increasing wildfire risks, incorporating adjustments for potential transmission facility outages due to de-energization.
Idaho Power has filed its latest Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) with state regulators, projecting a nearly 45% increase in peak demand over the next two decades, with more than half of this growth anticipated within the next five years. This significant surge, driven by sustained population expansion and broad commercial and industrial development across its service territory, necessitates a robust and diversified energy strategy. The Boise-based utility's biennial filing outlines a preferred portfolio emphasizing least-cost, reliability-enhancing generation and transmission projects, alongside critical measures to mitigate wildfire risks.
The IRP forecasts an increase in metered customers from approximately 648,000 in December 2024 to 867,000 by 2045, underscoring the scale of anticipated load growth. To meet this demand, Idaho Power plans substantial additions to its generation mix. The long-range plan calls for the integration of 1,445 megawatts (MW) of solar, 885 MW of battery storage, and 700 MW of wind power. Complementing these renewable resources, the utility intends to add 611 MW through coal-to-gas conversions and 550 MW of new natural gas capacity, alongside 344 MW from energy efficiency initiatives and 20 MW from incremental demand response programs.
Critical to grid stability and resource integration are planned transmission infrastructure upgrades. The IRP highlights the necessity of projects such as the Boardman to Hemingway and Southwest Intertie lines, which are designed to enhance Idaho Power's ability to import energy during periods of high demand. Brad Bowlin, a spokesman for Idaho Power, noted the company added 460 MW of new solar between 2022 and 2025, with over 500 MW of contracted solar and 600 MW of contracted wind power expected online in the coming years.
Demand response programs, particularly those engaging the agricultural sector, play a pivotal role in the utility's long-term planning. Irrigation demand, which accounts for approximately 20% of summer peak demand, is projected to grow by 0.6% annually. Bowlin emphasized, “The ag sector is one of our most important customer groups, and they are a key to our demand response programs.” The Irrigation Peak Rewards program currently enrolls about 2,700 irrigation service points, contributing approximately 272 MW of demand reduction capacity, which is more than 90% of the generating capacity of the company's largest gas-fired plant at Langley Gulch.
Addressing increasing environmental challenges, the IRP includes an adjustment for wildfire risk. Given the recent prevalence of fires and the increased practice of de-energizing transmission lines during encroachment, the plan now accounts for a higher likelihood of certain transmission facilities being out of service, impacting annual capacity starting next summer. This proactive measure reflects the evolving operational landscape for utilities in fire-prone regions. Utility commissions in Idaho and Oregon are expected to establish a public review and comment schedule for the comprehensive plan.