IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

For Immediate Release / April 22, 2002

Case No. IPC-E-02-04

Contact: Gene Fadness (208) 334-0339

Idaho Power proposes expanded net metering program

BOISE – The Idaho Public Utilities Commission is taking comment on Idaho Power Company’s proposed expansion of a renewable energy program called “net metering.”

In February, the commission approved a net metering program for Idaho Power. But that program included just residential and small commercial customers and limited the generating capacity of renewable projects to no more than 25 kW. The commission accepted that proposal but ordered Idaho Power to propose an expanded program to include all customer classes and consider increasing the limit on the generating capacity of each project to 100 or 125 kW.

Net metering allows customers who own or operate a generation facility fueled by solar, wind,

biomass or hydropower or who have fuel cell technology to measure how much power they are consuming and how much power they are generating. The company would credit customers when they generate more power than they consume.

The program already approved for residential and small-commercial customers includes the installation of bi-directional meters that run forward when Idaho Power is supplying energy and run backward when customers are generating more than they consume.

Under Idaho Power’s proposed expanded program, participating customers in larger-use classes such as industrial or irrigation would have a second meter installed to measure the energy provided by the customer’s generating facility. A standard meter already in place for larger-use customers measures the customer’s demand and energy.

Under Idaho Power’s proposal, when customers in larger-use classes generate more power than they use, Idaho Power would pay the customer 85 percent of the market price for non-firm energy in the Pacific Northwest.

The company is proposing to make the net metering service available on a first-come, first-served basis until the cumulative generation of all net metering customers connected to the company’s system equals 2.9 MW. When the demand for net metering exceeds that limit, the company will advise the commission which would then consider increasing the limit. The company is also proposing that no single customer be permitted to generate in excess of 580 kW and that no more than 100 kW of capacity be installed at a single meter point. That is meant to ensure that net metering be available to a wider spectrum of customers.

In February the commission approved Idaho Power’s plan for residential and small commercial customers who want to participate in net metering.

But comments filed by organizations, including the Idaho Farm Bureau, Idaho Rural Council, Renewable Energy Advocates and the Idaho Department of Water Resources, supported expanding the program to include all customer classes and to accept bigger projects than those limited to 25 kW capacity. The Farm Bureau, for example, argued that the 25 kW limit would prevent irrigators and diary farmers with anaerobic digesters from participating in the program. The company’s proposed expanded program would permit generating projects with a capacity up to 100 kW.

The company is proposing that its expanded net metering tariff be considered under “modified procedure,” which won’t require public hearings unless the commission receives written comments or protests seeking hearings.

The commission will take written comments or protests through Friday, May 10.

Persons wishing to submit comments can do so via e-mail by accessing the commission’s homepage at www.puc.state.id.us and clicking on "Comments & Questions." Fill in the case number (IPC-E-02-04) and enter your comments. Comments can also be mailed to P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0074 or faxed to (208) 334-3762. Comments should also be provided to Idaho Power Company. See the notice posted on our Website for addresses if you wish to contact the company. Click on “File Room” and then on “Recent Orders” and search for Case IPC-E-02-04.