Idaho

Why is it like this in Idaho?

Idaho currently has some of the cheapest electricity in the West — about 12.5¢/kWh — driven by abundant hydroelectric generation, giving PHEV drivers a clear per-mile cost advantage over gasoline. Idaho Power's 20-year resource plan projects massive grid investment to serve incoming data centers from Meta, Micron, and Gemstone — a buildout that foreshadows meaningful rate increases in a state that currently ranks near the national low for residential electricity. A 7.48% rate increase took effect in January 2026; further increases are widely expected.

In the news · Idaho

• Idaho Power's 20-year energy plan predicts large increase in customer growth and peak energy load

  Idaho Capital Sun · Aug 6, 2025

  Idaho Power's integrated resource plan projects massive grid investment to serve new data centers (Meta, Micron, Gemstone) — foreshadowing significant rate increases in a state that currently has some of the nation's cheapest electricity (~12¢/kWh) and a strong EV cost advantage.

• Data centers and other new large loads are driving sharp increases in Idaho farmers' electric bills

  Idaho Capital Sun · Feb 23, 2026

  Idaho Power's rate increases tied to data-center load growth have pushed some commercial rates up sharply; while residential rates remain relatively low (~12¢/kWh), the pattern signals that Idaho's historically cheap-electricity advantage for PHEV drivers may face pressure.

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  Idaho Power, Intermountain Gas seek rate hikes for 2025

  Idaho Business Review · Jun 2, 2025

  Idaho Power filed for a $199 million (~13%) rate increase in June 2025, with a settlement eventually producing a 7.48% hike effective January 2026 — still modest by national standards, preserving Idaho's strong cost-per-mile advantage for electric driving over gasoline.

Curated coverage of Idaho's EV/PHEV cost, policy, and infrastructure story. External links open in a new tab.

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