Tidwell letter: Idaho Power transmission line

Idaho Power has had to “fess up” to the PUC. Of their $31 million transmission line project here in Blaine County, $10.6-$12.6 million is for burying the line in Ketchum. All of Idaho ratepayers get to pay for this undergrounding in Ketchum because IPCo has stated that “this community is adamantly against additional visual impacts.” Yet, even after this $31 million project, if no power gets to the substation in Hailey (as it didn’t), no power will be going north. Both lines failed coming into the Hailey substation. Doesn’t the north county deserve a true energy security solution, not a gold-plated transmission project that adds to IPCo revenues? The county needs emergency power generation, like backup generators. It is interesting that IPCo Community Advisory documents show for quite a time that at least $5 million would be required to be paid by the northern county residents for the undergrounding, but then poof, that cost became borne by all Idaho ratepayers through the CA process, with some of the committee members participating being north county residents who would have borne those costs. Please tell the PUC that you do not support rate-basing Ketchum’s undergrounding.

This story was originally published April 4, 2017 at 2:51 PM with the headline "Tidwell letter: Idaho Power transmission line."