For Immediate Release
Contacts:
Ben Otto, Energy Associate, (208) 345-6933 x 12
Scott Ki, Communications Associate, (208) 345-6933 x 14
(BOISE) The Idaho Conservation League (ICL) strongly supports Idaho Power’s commitment of 100 percent clean energy by 2045, which was announced by the utility this morning (Tuesday, March 26). Idaho Power is the very first utility in the Pacific Northwest to set such goals.
“We’re enthusiastic about it and eager to continue to assist the utility on how to achieve this goal,” said Ben Otto, ICL’s energy associate. “We’re hopeful this means they’ll work on developing renewable sources of energy built in Idaho by and for Idahoans. That way, Idaho’s economy, businesses, workers and families benefit, and we can wean ourselves of a dependence on out-of-state sources of energy.”
ICL has a long history of working toward eliminating Idaho’s reliance on coal-fired power plants. The nonprofit has worked closely and successfully with other community members and Idaho Power in this area.
For instance, ICL and others established that Idaho Power should begin exiting the North Valmy Generating Station, located in Valmy, Nev., this year in order to avoid expensive repairs and upgrades at the coal-fired power plant. On March 8, Idaho Power announced final plans to phase out North Valmy, half by the end of 2019 and the other before 2025.
Idaho Power’s announcement comes one week before the Boise City Council’s meeting on Clean Energy by 2040. Otto added, “With this announcement from Idaho Power, we’re hopeful Boise officials can continue to lead by making a commitment to shorten the city’s timeline to 2035.”
Overall, one of ICL’s priorities in the energy area is to have clean Idaho air by eliminating carbon emissions and air pollution. Idaho Power owns a portion of two other coal-fired power plants. The Boardman plant in Oregon will close in 2020. Idaho Power also owns a portion of the four units that make up the massive Jim Bridger plant in Wyoming. A recent analysis ranked it the third dirtiest coal-fired power plant in the United States.
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