In 2007, Idaho Power was adding about 1,000 new customer a month. That number is a good representative of growth in the company’s system overall, and in the Magic Valley specifically.

Planning engineers anticipate an annual average growth rate of 2 to 3 percent throughout the company’s service area. They look at higher-growth areas like the Magic Valley and target the most effective location for new facility additions to meet those growth requirements.

Magic Valley Needs Power

Planning engineers monitor growth and project when and where electric load growth will occur. Based on those projections, Idaho Power, together with local jurisdictions and customers, devises a construction strategy that stays ahead of the growth curve.

The company invests tens of millions of dollars annually in distribution, transmission and substation projects. Between the years 2001 and 2006, Idaho Power invested over $445 million – nearly a half billion – in new facilities and projects related to growth and customer need.

Magic Valley Load Growth

The Magic Valley electric load – or demand on the system – increases by about 10 megawatts annually. That’s equal to adding a city the size of Gooding each year.

In the near future, this growth will begin to strain our system. If no energy supply additions are made, it can result in power outages when we have relatively minor emergencies on the Idaho Power system.