On April 27, 2026, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (Idaho PUC or the Commission) issued an order in Case No. IPC-E-26-03 approving Idaho Power Company’s (Idaho Power) 2032 Request for Proposals (RFP) for capacity and energy resources. This is the first RFP before the Idaho PUC since the Commission adopted new procurement rules in Order No. 36898.
Several parties submitted comments on Idaho Power’s draft RFP, including Idaho Irrigation Pumpers Association, Inc., Northwest & Intermountain Power Producers Coalition (NIPPC), City of Boise, Micron Technology, Inc., Renewable Northwest, and Idahome Energy.
The Idaho PUC adopted several conditions on approval of the RFP. First, the Commission directed Idaho Power to remove an imputed debt adder proposed for third-party power purchase agreement bids. NIPPC and others argued the proposed imputed debt adder would unfairly bias the RFP in favor of utility-owned resources. Second, the Idaho PUC adopted Idaho Power’s proposed language clarifying that 2031 commercial operation date (COD) bids would be evaluated before 2032 COD bids. Third, the Idaho PUC required Idaho Power to engage an Independent Evaluator (IE). The IE will perform bid scoring, validate benchmark bid assumptions and calculations, and produce a final report. Fourth, the Idaho PUC directed Staff to review the selection and negotiation process. Fifth, the Idaho PUC directed Idaho Power to revise RFP language changing the minimum bid criterion from “commercially proven technology” to “commercially available technology”. Sixth, the Idaho PUC required a revision to the minimum bid criterion from a requirement that the generator interconnect status “matches” the COD submitted to a requirement that the generator interconnect status “supports” the COD submitted. Finally, the Idaho PUC required revisions relaxing the requirement for projects to interconnect to Idaho Power’s system.
Sanger Greene PC served as legal counsel for both NIPPC (Irion Sanger) and RNW (Max Greene) in the Idaho PUC’s docket addressing Idaho Power’s 2032 RFP.
NIPPC represents electricity market participants in the Pacific Northwest, including independent power producers, electricity service suppliers, and transmission companies. NIPPC is committed to facilitating cost-effective electricity sales, offering consumers choices in their energy supply, and advancing fair, competitive power markets. Renewable Northwest is a member-based nonprofit advocacy organization with a mission to decarbonize the region by accelerating the transition to renewable electricity.