SB 1368: Guardrails for Idaho’s Largest Power Consumers (2026)

Summary: SB 1368 requires electric utilities to obtain approval from the Idaho Public Utilities Commission before providing power to new or expanding electricity users with loads of 30 megawatts or more. The bill requires utilities to demonstrate that the project will maintain system reliability, ensure the large customer pays for infrastructure needed to serve it, and protect existing customers from financial risk.

ICL’s Position: Neutral/Monitoring

Current Bill Status: Committee - Senate State Affairs

Issue Areas: Energy, Data Centers

Senate Bill 1368, introduced by Senator Jim Guthrie (R-District 28), establishes new requirements for serving very large electricity users in Idaho, such as data centers or other energy-intensive industrial facilities. The bill requires regulated electric utilities to obtain approval from the Idaho Public Utilities Commission before providing service to a new or expanding customer whose power demand increases by 30 megawatts or more within a three-year period. To receive approval, utilities must demonstrate that serving the large customer will maintain system reliability, ensure the customer funds the generation and infrastructure investments needed to serve its load, and protect other utility customers from financial risk if the project defaults or fails to materialize. The Commission would review and approve or deny these service contracts within 180 days and retain authority to establish additional guidance to prevent cost shifts to other ratepayers.

ICL is taking a neutral position on the bill. Rapid growth in large electricity users—particularly data centers—could significantly increase electricity demand and potentially drive new energy development in the region. Requiring large users to pay their share of infrastructure costs may help prevent ratepayers from subsidizing this growth and could discourage speculative projects that might otherwise drive unnecessary energy expansion. At the same time, the bill does not address how new electricity demand will be met and could still contribute to additional energy development and associated environmental impacts. Because the environmental outcomes are uncertain and could cut in multiple directions, ICL is remaining neutral while continuing to monitor how large-load growth affects Idaho’s energy system and climate trajectory.