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Oppose two new Idaho methane-powered plants by July 31. In mid-March 2026, Idaho Power Company (IPC) applied to the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity (case number IPC-E-26-04), to invest in and construct two new methane gas power plants and extra pipeline capacity in southern Idaho over the next few years [1-5]. IPC proposes to build the South Hills plant on the Snake River near Milner, Idaho, to generate 222 total megawatts of electricity from 12 reciprocating engines by June 2029 (enclosed concept picture), and the Peregrine plant between Boise and Mountain Home, to produce 430 megawatts from one massive, single-cycle combustion turbine by June 2030. IPC claims that it needs to make investments now in these resources, to meet peak demands beyond its adequate, existing system, and due to the long lead times required to obtain gas generation equipment and additional pipeline capacity. The company forecasts rapid load growth from committed industrial sites and predicted large-load users. As the initial, formal step for any utility seeking approval for new infrastructure, IPC is requesting PUC permission to begin accounting for its spending on these gas plants. If or when it brings these projects online, IPC will engage another PUC process to recover project costs from its customers. In the present case, Northwest Energy Coalition and Renewable Northwest have intervened in opposition, while large-load users Idaho Irrigation Pumpers Association and computer memory and data storage manufacturer Micron Technology as well as PUC staff represent various interests [6]. Spring 2026 searches yielded little public information about these power plants, beyond the PUC site and industry articles. As always with the climate-wrecking schemes of the oil and gas industry and its utility enablers, these facilities may manifest the covertly planned destinations for the 80 percent of additional Gas Transmission Northwest (GTN) pipeline methane pushed by TC Energy through the GTN Xpress expansion toward Idaho, and/or for the products of two Snake River Oil and Gas wells drilled near the Payette River, the Fruitland city water intake plant, and a dense residential/business area in June and July 2026. Owner of the other interconnected, regional, methane pipeline network, Williams Companies announced in May the proposed Silver Spur expansion of its Northwest pipeline system from Opal, Wyoming, toward the Northwest, the first phase of its Rockies Columbia Connector ambitions to add a 90-mile transmission line into Idaho, which could impose 275 million cubic feet per day of methane by early 2030 [7]. Climate activists collective Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) noticed these developments in April and has been sharing news, articles, and reflections about the proposed South Hills and Peregrine methane power plants on its weekly Climate Justice Forum radio program, broadcast for fourteen years on progressive, volunteer, community station KRFP Radio Free Moscow [8, 9]. Throughout the last year and decades, Wild Idaho Rising Tide also continue to offer public process and direct action support to frontline, Payette County residents opposed to riverside and residential area gas well drilling. This spring, Wild Idaho Rising Tide were further shocked to learn that a third methane power plant slipped under the Boise resistance radar, as the PUC permitted its construction in Mountain Home. WIRT hopes that this overbuild of soon outdated and defunct fossil fuels infrastructure in the Idaho high desert does not fuel more remote data centers dreams or distant, urban electrification of utilities and transportation. In late May, WIRT alerted the Stop Northwest Gas Expansion (SNGE) coalition of Idaho Power's two-plant proposal, discussed the situation during its meeting, and suggested inviting attorney Ben Otto, the senior policy associate with the Northwest Energy Coalition, to talk with Wild Idaho Rising Tide about this PUC quasi-judicial proceeding, so SNGE coalition member organizations could more actively oppose this (yet another!) Idaho fossil fuels invasion [10, 11]. After contacting Ben, forwarding conversations to SNGE co-workers, and urging further organizer arrangements, Ben joined a regular coalition meeting on Thursday, July 23, and provided an extensive presentation. Topics covered the two proposed, southern Idaho, gas power plants, insights on PUC decision-making criteria, and best practices for public input from citizens and organizations. To raise broad Northwest awareness, outreach, and action against this Idaho Power proposal, SNGE posted a recording and slides of Ben's presentation and question-and-answer session [12, 13]. WIRT features this discussion on the Wednesday, July 29, Climate Justice Forum show, between 1:30 and 3 pm Pacific time, on-air at 90.3 FM and online and archived for two weeks on KRFP [8]. On all of its broadcasts, thanks to generous, anonymous listeners, Wild Idaho Rising Tide typically describe continent-wide, grassroots, frontline resistance to fossil fuels projects, the root causes of climate change. WIRT greatly appreciates Ben Otto's ongoing, important work to represent Northwesterners' best interests to the PUC, and Wild Idaho Rising Tide encourage you to email your questions to them at [email protected]. Please get involved in Northwest efforts to stop ALL fossil fuels infrastructure expansions, by sending a brief comment through the linked PUC form, based on the following suggestions for possible responses, graciously shared by Ben [14]. * The Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is accepting written comments until July 31, 2026, but has not currently scheduled a public hearing. In your comments, refer to case number IPC-E-26-04, and politely ask for a planned hearing and an extended comment period, due to the summer vacation timing of this public (non-)participation. If enough, especially Idaho Power customers request these items, the PUC could host both. * In its decisions, the PUC is primarily concerned with assessing the necessity and public costs of these Idaho Power projects. Ask the PUC if the utility has a verifiable need for more gas resources, and if the scale and scope of these methane power plants fit energy needs in the most cost-effective and reliable ways to achieve output. Most significantly, how does IPC intend to finance this proposal? Idaho Power has not publicly disclosed the huge costs of these projects or their probably cheaper alternatives. * As IPC stated in other documents, some of its forecasted power needs for these gas plants speculates that new customers will arrive and that new large-load users will pay for the infrastructure and resources that they require. IPC and/or big electricity users - not later, Idaho Power, residential and small business customers - should carry the risk of investing in projects that may prove unnecessary, if new demands do not materialize. * IPC's gas power plan imposes multiple risks on Idaho customers, which neither the PUC nor Idaho Power have adequately, directly analyzed. International conflicts and economies cause fluctuating methane prices and could inflict rising costs on later IPC customers, raising serious questions about the cost-effectiveness of gas. Because the regional methane pipeline network is currently running full, IPC must depend on outside actors Gas Transmission Northwest and specifically Williams Companies, to build and/or expand pipelines into Idaho to supply its proposed plants. Of most concern, pipelines, compressors, and structures with volatile gas chemicals could explode, and they routinely release dangerous emissions that pollute local air and water quality and communities and damage the global climate. * In this application, absent a full Request for Proposals, and during recent, biannual Integrated Resource Plan processes, Idaho Power and the PUC have not adequately examined these IPC power plant projects or considered available, alternative, clean energy options for sufficient and affordable fuel supplies. In previous resource plans, IPC showed that batteries could meet peak electricity demands, but has since claimed that batteries are no longer cost-effective, despite federal tax incentives that reduce expenses. Instead of gambling on gas plants during an accelerating energy transition, IPC could increase investments in implementing solutions such as improved customer energy efficiency and load flexibility, rooftop solar electricity generation, and battery power storage. * Ask the Idaho Public Utilities Commission to deny IPC's request for Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity (case number IPC-E-26-04) for the Peregrine and South Hills methane power plants. If this regulatory agency approves these certificates, it should insist that Idaho Power Company bears the risks of this infrastructure soon becoming cost-ineffective, stranded assets possibly lacking access to inexpensive or any fuel. Thanks for your climate activism!

Idaho Power proposes natural gas plant near Milner Dam to meet rising energy demand. Idaho Power says the South Hills Power Plant would produce 222 megawatts - enough to power about 178,000 average homes Idaho Power wants to build a 222-megawatt natural gas plant near Milner Dam to meet rising energy demand in the Magic Valley. Posted 1 hour and 44 minutes ago MURTAUGH, Idaho - Energy demand is climbing across southern Idaho and the Magic Valley, and Idaho Power expects peak demand to jump by nearly 1,000 megawatts by the end of the decade. To help meet that need, the utility is proposing a natural gas power plant near Milner Dam. HEAR THE DETAILS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PROPOSED NATURAL GAS PLANT NEAR MURTAUGH: Idaho Power's Brandon Prescott was on the team that helped select the site for the proposed plant, called the South Hills Power Plant. "South Hills Power Plant came about as a result of that due diligence to make sure that we found all the right attributes to be able to potentially site a new gas project," Prescott said. The rural location already has access to a natural gas pipeline and the electrical grid that serves hydro generation from Milner Dam. The new plant would feature 12 natural gas engines capable of producing 222 megawatts of energy - enough to power about 178,000 average homes. By comparison, Milner Dam hydro produces up to 59 megawatts. The South Hills Power Plant is one of three new natural gas plants proposed for southern Idaho. The engines can reach full power in under 5 minutes. "With these, we have the ability to turn them on or off, we can ramp them up, we can ramp them down, so you provide a lot of flexibility into the system," Prescott said. The plants can also quickly adjust output to help balance other energy sources, including the 400 megawatts of solar installed since 2023. "So all of those combined are just now keeping up with that load again to make sure that we're able to keep the lights on, keep the system reliable, but it is a number of gas plants that we are working on to be able to meet the demand that we know will continue into the future," Prescott said. Some have questioned whether the new power would be exported out of state rather than serving local customers. Prescott addressed that concern directly. "We're seeing load growth across all sections: residential, manufacturing, mining, irrigation, small business, small commercial, large commercial - across-the-board throughout southern Idaho and in the Magic Valley we're seeing that load increase," Prescott said. "So these projects that we're looking to build and looking for approval for are to serve the customers within our service territory within the Magic Valley." The proposed power plant must clear several steps with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission before it can go before Twin Falls County Planning and Zoning. This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Its editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. Send tips to Magic Valley neighborhood reporters Lorien Nettleton and Joey Martin Have a story idea from Twin Falls or the Magic Valley? Share it with its team below - More news in Twin Falls. Kivi-Tv cover stories making an impact in Twin Falls. This is your home to stay on top of what is changing in Twin Falls and why it matters to you and your family. Kivi-Tv want to hear from you! Click here and tell Kivi-Tv what Kivi-Tv should be covering in your neighborhood.

Perpetua Resources has announced the commencement of detailed engineering and a procurement contract with Idaho Power for the Stibnite Gold Project, following successful basic engineering and financial updates.