Our Future

Idaho Falls Power consistently reviews assets and projects future needs in order to improve our system and ensure we can meet the needs of our customers. On this page you will find links to important projects that the utility is working on to secure your future.

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The latest on the North Loop project

IDAHO FALLS—Idaho Falls Power is moving ahead with the North 161kV Transmission Project to secure reliable delivery of electric service to its customers. The project calls for the construction of a transmission line on the north side of Idaho Falls that will link the City’s two main substations and complete the backbone infrastructure as originally planned.

Idaho Falls is pushing the capacity limits of its sub-transmission system throughout the core of the City. Continued growth has led to peak demands that have routinely exceeded capacity on the line for the last five years, and additional growth planned for the near future will exceed the line’s capacity.

The North 161 kV Transmission Loop will alleviate those concerns. The transmission line will help IFP meet the demand on the north side of the City, and it will provide the utility with the ability to redirect power loads during periods of peak usage. Extending this service capacity to the north will help IFP reliably deliver power to new and existing customers.

“Completing this project is critical to our ability to continue to provide safe, reliable, high quality electric service to our customers, while keeping our costs among the lowest in the region,” said Jackie Flowers, Idaho Falls Power General Manager.

Citing a power outage from a few weeks ago that impacted nearly 8,000 customers in the northern sections of town, Flowers notes that one of the drivers of this project is minimizing the number of people who are exposed to outages associated with the sub-transmission system and the amount of time it would take to restore power - especially during peak use, which coincides with dangerously cold temperatures.

“If an outage such as the one we experienced a few weeks ago would occur during peak use, we would face restoration challenges at a time when reliable power delivery is most critical,” Flowers said.

IFP has been planning and laying the groundwork for this project for decades. The need was first identified in a study conducted in 1972. Idaho Falls has grown significantly since then, as has the demand for electricity. While the study lead to the construction of a portion of the backbone (the south loop), construction of the complete backbone as initially planned was not completed.

The utility has been setting aside money for years, so the project will be funded using capital improvement funds — there will be no rate increase associated with this project. Over the last two years, the utility has solicited, received and implemented public input; held three public comment periods (although none were required); conducted engineering design and environmental analysis; and held numerous meetings with property owners, stakeholders and various agencies.

IFP is advancing the project by turning the discussion to easement negotiations with individual affected property owners. Offers for easement acquisition are being mailed to affected owners on the west side of the planned route, offering them market-based compensation. In addition, IFP will offer a one-time cash incentive to impacted owners to complete energy efficiency projects by participating in their electric utility providers Energy Conservation programs.

“We are building for continued reliability and long-term prosperity for our community. It’s time to move forward with this critical project for Idaho Falls, the service hub of Bonneville County,” said Idaho Falls Mayor Jared Fuhriman.

The North Loop Project will enable IFP to continue to deliver on its mission to provide safe, reliable, high quality electric power to its customers while keeping costs among the lowest in the region.

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Smart grid

Smart Grid is integrating technology into the existing power delivery system to enhance reliability, efficiency, and customer service.

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Renewable Energy Projects

This site was established for the purpose of promoting renewable energy education and research.

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For more information about how you can participate in our Energy Efficiency programs call 208-612-8526