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Two Wind Projects Proposed in Elmore County by Brad Carlson Idaho Business Review, January 5, 2007

Idaho Power Co. seeks regulatory approval of sales agreements for two windfarm projects proposed near Mountain Home.

According to a press release, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission plans to take comments through Jan. 26.

Glenn Ikemoto of Energy Vision LLC, Piedmont, Calif., is the developer of both projects, the Bennett Creek Windfarm and the Hot Springs Windfarm.

Both include 12 wind turbines that would deliver an average 10 megawatts per month. The maximum output of the projects is 19.8 megawatts. Under the terms of the agreement, Idaho Power may accept energy delivered in excess of the average 10 megawatts per month but will not pay for it.

The projects qualify for special rates under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act. Under that federal law, utilities pay a rate reflecting the cost they avoid by buying power from these facilities instead of generating it themselves or buying it on the wholesale market, according to the PUC. State utility commissions set the rates.

The Idaho Public Utilities Commission in August 2005 reduced the size of the projects that can qualify for an avoided-cost rate. The Bennett Creek and Hot Springs projects were under way previously and thus grandfathered from the lower size limit, the PUC said.

The PUC is accepting comments at www.puc.idaho.gov, by fax at 334-3762 and by mail at P.O. Box 83720, Boise, Idaho 83720-0074.

A megawatt is equal to 1 million watts and a kilowatt is equal to 1,000 watts.