Zack Waterman, Director of the Sierra Club Idaho Chapter, zack.waterman@sierraclub.org, (208) 515.6719
Caleb Heeringa, Deputy Press Secretary - Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign, caleb.heeringa@sierraclub.org, (425) 890-9744
Stephanie Steinbrecher, Ready for 100, (415) 977-5736, stephanie.steinbrecher@sierraclub.org
Boise, ID - Today, Idaho Power Company announced a commitment to provide 100 percent carbon-free electricity to customers by 2045. This makes Idaho Power the first major Pacific Northwest utility to commit to move away from fossil fuels, and following MidAmerican in 2016 and Colorado-based Xcel Energy last December.
Idaho Power currently gets 25 percent of its electricity mix from fossil fuels like coal and fracked gas. In recent years the company has started preparing for an earlier exit from their coal investments, including the North Valmy plant in Nevada and Jim Bridger plant in Wyoming. Idaho Power recently filed a plan with state regulators to exit Valmy Unit 1 this year and Valmy Unit 2 by 2025 rather than running the units into the 2030s, calculating that replacing coal with cleaner options would save customers $12.2 million.
Zack Waterman, Director of the Idaho Chapter of the Sierra Club, issued the following statement:
“Moving to clean energy isn’t a ‘blue state’ or ‘red state’ issue, it’s an affordability issue. In Idaho, wind and solar are cheaper than fossil fuels and our communities are demanding more of both. Additionally, Idaho Power’s commitment to move to 100 percent carbon-free future is an immense economic opportunity for our state. It will add jobs in the growing wind and solar industries and attract Fortune 500 companies that are demanding the price stability of clean energy, which isn’t tied to fluctuating fuel prices of coal and fracked gas. As Idaho Power moves to 100 percent carbon free electricity, we will work to make sure the company takes advantage of the incredible clean energy resources available in our state."
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.