Idaho Legislature: Ask Legislators to VOTE NO on H0348 - Energy facilities, permit, electric (posted 03/04/25)

• Bill: legislature.idaho.gov/s…

• Contact Legislators: emailidaho.com

(Check the linked page or use My Bill Tracker for the bill’s current status.)

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H0348 would require new electrical generating facilities to offer to sell power to Idaho electric suppliers at rates set by Idaho’s regulators before they offer it to out-of-state electric suppliers. Any conditional use permit (CUP) granted without adhering to these requirements, will be considered void. H0348 sunsets on July 1, 2030.

At first, I thought this bill was a good idea to avoid projects like Lava Ridge, a massive wind turbine project (now on hold) that would have sent most electricity outside the state of Idaho.

But after considering other arguments, I do not support the bill. Government should not pick winners and losers through regulation and wealth redistribution. H0348 uses government regulation to financially benefit a buyer (Idaho electricity suppliers) at a seller's expense.

Issues are:

• Adds regulatory burden. Requires any new electrical generating facility to obtain a CUP that limits the facility's right to sell the power it produces.

• Even if an out-of-state electric supplier offers to pay more for the power, these facilities will be forced to sell at the "market price" in Idaho, which is set by state regulators. (Idaho’s market price could be more or less than the open market.)

• Government should not force a producer/supplier to prioritize certain customers and to limit the ability of customers to purchase on the open market. This intrusive approach would be favored by communism/socialism.

• Could force a company to sell its product for less than what it can obtain on the open market. Would H0348 ultimately reduce the energy available to Idaho because energy companies will not want to build or sell in our state if its rates are too low?

Related:

• Idaho Freedom Foundation - House Bill 348 — Energy facilities, permit, electric (-2):