See where the new Idaho Falls power plant will be built [Video]

#eastidahonews #ifpower #peakingplant

IDAHO FALLS – Construction on Idaho Falls Power’s $36 million peaking power plant will get underway this summer and double the city’s generation capacity.

The 17.5-megawatt plant, which is enough electricity to power between 5,000 and 6,000 homes, will sit on a 138-acre parcel off of Yellowstone Highway and Iona Road. It will run as needed during high energy use periods during the summer and winter months.

Idaho Falls Power General Manager Bear Prairie tells EastIdahoNews.com they’ve historically had to purchase power from the marketplace to accommodate increased usage at certain times of the year. The five hydroelectric generation facilities on the Snake River only produce about a third of the city’s energy needs due to growth. The new power plant will allow the city to generate more electricity during peak times and mitigate purchasing costs.

“As we go to the market to buy (power), we’re seeing extreme pricing events due to shortages of electricity (which is a result of coal plants being replaced by wind and solar). We’re becoming more and more concerned … that the market isn’t going to be there,” Prairie says. “We’ll turn it on when we can’t buy lower-priced energy from the market to meet those needs.”

While the addition of the new power plant will not totally eliminate the need to buy power, it will keep the current monthly rate for customers more stable and consistent.

The city’s investment in its own energy production allows residents to pay 6.9 cents per kilowatt hour, less than half of the national average of 14 cents per kilowatt hour.

The plant’s location was selected based on industrial zoning, proximity to rail service, natural gas access, and the utility’s transmission and distribution system. See where it will be in the video above.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE: https://www.eastidahonews.com/2024/02/how-new-idaho-falls-power-plant-will-impact-customers-monthly-bill/

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