Idaho Power's Rate Hike: Who Pays the Price?
A message from the Gang of 8
Idaho Power has filed a general rate case (IPC-E-25-16) with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission that would significantly increase rates beginning in 2026.
The Gang of 8 opposes this rate hike because it shifts the financial burden of Idaho’s rapid growth onto everyday families, farmers, and small businesses, while letting the biggest energy consumers off lightly.
The data indicates that while all customer classes will see some increase, residential and small business customers are facing more than double the percentage increase compared to large commercial and industrial users.
Idaho’s historically low electricity rates have attracted big corporations like Meta and Micron. These projects make headlines, but they’ve also raised serious questions: Are everyday Idahoans benefiting or just footing the bill for corporate expansion?
Utilities should not be allowed to quietly pass the cost of unchecked growth onto residential ratepayers without clear service improvements or accountability.
This proposal isn’t about fairness or reliability. It’s about who pays—and who profits.
What’s in the Proposal?
A 17.02% increase in residential base rates – This is the overall hike in what Idaho Power charges homeowners before additional usage is even factored in.
Monthly service charges will increase from $15 to $25 – This flat fee is charged whether you use 1 kWh or 1,000 kWh. It’s unavoidable and will rise by 67%, which disproportionately affects lower-use and fixed-income households.
Higher per-kWh energy rates for all usage levels – Once you start using electricity, you'll pay more for every unit of energy. This impacts everyone, especially families, small farms, and businesses with higher seasonal or operational needs.
Optional Time-of-Use pricing, with limited first-year bill protection – Idaho Power wants customers to shift energy use to off-peak hours (like late night or early morning) to avoid strain on the grid. But your bill could rise if you can't adjust your lifestyle—say, you're home during peak hours. The proposed protection limits the increase to $10 more than the standard plan for the first year only.
Shift of $46.8 million in power costs from the PCA to base rates – Idaho Power wants to move predictable power supply costs from the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA), which fluctuates annually, into permanent base rates. This locks in higher bills regardless of how cheap or expensive energy becomes year-to-year. It reduces the company's financial risk while removing flexibility for customers.
Expanding infrastructure for renewable energy and regional energy markets – Idaho Power’s long-term strategy includes phasing out coal and investing in renewables like wind and solar. But much of the infrastructure, especially transmission, is designed for participation in regional energy markets, raising the question: Why are Idaho ratepayers footing the bill for energy that may primarily serve out-of-state customers?
Where Is the Money Going—And Who’s Paying?
Idaho Power says it needs this rate hike to fund nearly $200 million in new capital investments, ranging from coal plant transitions and smart meters (which monitor usage remotely but can increase fixed fees) to trucks, office IT systems, and corporate facilities. But the burden of those investments isn’t being shared evenly.
Coal Plant Closures, Clean Energy—and a Regional Power Shift.
Idaho Power has already shut down the Boardman coal plant in Oregon. It plans to exit the Jim Bridger facility in Wyoming by 2026 and the North Valmy Generating Station in Nevada by 2031. These plants have historically provided about 40% of Idaho Power’s electricity supply. The company says it’s on a path to 100% clean energy by 2045, and is investing heavily in transmission lines, smart grid systems, and renewable sources like wind and solar to get there.
But here's what they don't often say out loud: much of this new infrastructure is designed to serve regional energy markets, not just Idaho's. Idaho Power participates in the Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM), a multi-state power exchange that allows utilities to buy and sell electricity across state lines in real time.
While that may benefit utilities and large-scale energy players, it raises a critical question for Idahoans: why are local ratepayers being asked to fund infrastructure increasingly supporting out-of-state demand?
This is about more than green energy. It’s about accountability and making sure Idaho families aren’t subsidizing someone else’s power bill.
Where the money is going.
Who is being asked to pay for it?
In short, Idaho’s families, seniors, and farmers are footing the bill, while the biggest power users reap the rewards.
Are We Becoming California?
Here’s another concern: $25 million of this rate hike is labeled “wildfire mitigation.” In 2025, Idaho passed the Wildfire Standard of Care Act (S1183) to shield utilities from liability if they follow approved wildfire mitigation plans. The goal was to protect utilities from catastrophic lawsuits, but now it looks like Idaho Power wants you to foot the bill.
Burying these costs in a general rate hike is a backdoor attempt to shift wildfire-related expenses onto Idaho ratepayers, effectively sidestepping the financial accountability lawmakers intended.
We’ve seen this before. In California, similar policies led to massive rate hikes, rolling blackouts, and legal chaos. New York is following suit, with climate legislation expected to cost residents $3 billion more each year.
If we don’t push back now, Idaho is next.
What Customers Are Saying—and Why It Matters.
To date, 160 Idahoans have submitted public comments opposing this rate hike. Their concerns aren’t just about rising costs. They reflect frustration, fear, and a growing sense that Idaho Power is prioritizing corporate expansion over community stability.
Here’s what your neighbors are saying:
"Idaho Power has time and again fought against private solar owners, who could actually help lower costs. Now they want to raise rates while blocking cost-saving alternatives? I strongly oppose this."
— L. Kuntz, Mountain Home"It seems patently unfair for Idaho Power to ask for rate increases far above the COLA seniors get. How are people to afford power and eat? Should they pay for medicines or power?"
— L. Riley, Filer"Massive data centers like Meta and Micron drive most of the demand. We should not be subsidizing their expansion."
— J. Barrie, Boise"New hook-ups and big commercial users should bear the brunt of these costs. Why are existing customers being punished?"
— Y. Connor, Boise"A 17% increase is ridiculous. People can barely afford groceries!"
— C. Nevarez, Boise
These aren’t just complaints. They’re a clear signal that this rate proposal fails the fairness test. When everyday families, retirees, and small farms are being asked to pay double the rate increases of large industrial users, something is broken.
Call to Action.
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission (IPUC) has not announced a public hearing date for Idaho Power's general rate case, Case No. IPC-E-25-16. The application was filed on May 30, 2025, and is currently under review.
The IPUC typically schedules public hearings after reviewing the application and allowing time for public comments. Once a hearing is scheduled, the IPUC will notify the public. You can stay informed by regularly checking the IPUC's Press Releases and the specific case page for IPC-E-25-16.
In the meantime, if you wish to submit comments or express your views on the proposed rate increase, you can do so through the IPUC's Case Comment Form. Be sure to reference Case No. IPC-E-25-16 in your submission.
Idaho families deserve transparency, fairness, and a utility that works for them, not just for corporate growth.
In Liberty,
Senator Christy Zito, District 8
CZito@senate.idaho.gov
Senator Glenneda Zuiderveld, District 24
GZuiderveld@senate.idaho.gov
Substack: @glenneda
Senator Josh Kohl, District 25
JKohl@senate.idaho.gov
Substack: @joshkohl4idaho
Representative Faye Thompson, District 8
FThompson@house.idaho.gov
Representative Lucas Cayler, District 11
LCayler@house.idaho.gov
Substack: @lucascayler
Representative Kent Marmon, District 11
KMarmon@house.idaho.gov
Substack: @kentmarmon
Representative Clint Hostetler, District 24
CHostetler@house.idaho.gov
Substack: @theidahoresolve
Representative David Leavitt, District 25
DLeavitt@house.idaho.gov
Substack: @leavitt4idaho
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Thank you, Christy Zito, for bringing this power grab from darkness to light (which we soon won’t see much of if this rate increase is allowed).
This rate increase is outrageous. It clearly favors Non-Idaho Regional Interests, Green Energy Fanatics, and Big Corporate stakeholders -- not everyday citizens who will suffer greatly. Sadly that could be their plan: to drive everyday citizens out of their homes and into poverty.
Many have rightly stated (though we don't know who first said this): “He who controls energy controls the world.”
Data centers (especially for AI), cloud seeding, wind farms, solar, smart meters, wildfire immunity (which we begged the legislature to oppose) — all these insane ideas are destroying America and have already proven disastrous for Europe. Look at what’s happening in England, Spain, France and closer to home, CA and TX.
The push toward a surveillance state and the climate change hoax we’ve all been sold as truth were covered well during a recent segment of The Highwire:
https://thehighwire.com/ark-videos/their-vision-your-future-inside-the-agenda/
This is NOT the world we want.
Everyone, please take the call to action. Speak up or risk having those in power think your silence is approval.
Thank you for the clarification. It isn't right for all Idahoans to pay significantly higher prices so that commercial companies can benefit. We don't want that.