Idaho Power is adding about 1,000 new customers 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. In the past five years, Idaho Power has 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. Learn more.

Citizen Advisory Committee
A community advisory committee (CAC) is working with Idaho Power to create a plan to address the Magic Valley’s long-term electric demand. Idaho Power wants to help support the continued economic prosperity of the valley by providing a reliable electric supply, and a long-term plan is necessary to ensure the facilities and supply are there when they're needed.

The CAC meets monthly with Idaho Power and is learning about electrical systems, power supply, transmission and more. Idaho Power has numerous stakeholders and representatives for this community advisory process. CAC members include:

The following links and documents are provided for your information. Please note: the presentation materials below do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Idaho Power, but are presented here as a part of the public process.

For more information about the Magic Valley Electrical Plan, e-mail Kent McCarthy.