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Friday, May 15th, 2015

Risch introduces bill to free Idaho Power from buying solar energy from small producers

Author:     Betsy Z. Russell
Source:     The Spokesman-Review
Publication Date:     WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015, 3:49 P.M.
 Link: Risch introduces bill to free Idaho Power from buying solar energy from small producers
Stephan:   In contrast to what Hawaii is doing Idaho, which is a red value state, has decided to cling to the 20th century. Do you think there might be a connection between the big donation to Senator Risch's campaign, he is a Republican of course, and his action introducing a bill designed to hamstring the Idaho solar movement? I am sure Senator Risch would loudly proclaim there was not. You can draw your own conclusion. The net-net is that Idaho will fall behind more socially progressive states, and Idaho residents will pay the price for this greed and stupidity.
Republican Idaho Senator James E. Risch. Credit: www.congress.gov

Republican Idaho Senator James E. Risch.
Credit: www.congress.gov

Idaho Sen. Jim Risch has introduced a bill that would allow public utilities like Idaho Power to deny contracts to independent power producers if they can show they don’t need the electricity, Idaho Statesman reporter Rocky Barker reports today, making a big modification to the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, or PURPA. It’s a change Idaho Power really wants; the company says it doesn’t need any new generation until 2021, but could be forced to buy power from new solar energy projects in Idaho under current PURPA requirements. Barker’s full report is online here.

Out of curiosity, I took a look back at the campaign finance reports from IDA-PAC Political Action Committee, Idaho Power’s PAC, and the PAC has donated $20,000 to Risch’s Senate campaigns since 2006, including $5,000 in September of 2014. Barker reports that on Thursday, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will look at more than 20 separate bills including Risch’s, as part of a […]

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