20260219News Release.pdf

lr Idaho Public Utilities Commission Brad LitUe,Governor
PO Fox 83720, Boise. ID 83770-0074 Edward Lodge, President
John R.Hammond, Jr.,Commissioner
Dayn Hardie,Commissioner
Case No. C07-E-25-01
Order No. 36939
Contact:Adam Rush
Office: 1-208-334-0339
E-mail Address: [e-mail]
NEWS RELEASE: Commission is accepting written comments on northern Idaho electric
utility's application seeking approval of wildfire mitigation plan.
BOISE (Feb. 19,2026)—The Idaho Public Utilities Commission is accepting written comments
until mid-May on an application Kootenai Electric Cooperative, Inc. submitted that seeks
approval of its 2026-2028 wildfire mitigation plan (WMP).
Electric utilities file the plans with the Commission pursuant to the Wildfire Standard of Care
Act(WSCA). The WSCA requires the Commission to annually approve the plans for investor-
owned utilities. Municipal and cooperative electric utilities, which are not regulated by the
Commission, may also submit plans for the Commission's review.
Under the WSCA, if a wildfire results in a lawsuit against an electric utility, there is a
presumption the utility acted without negligence if it reasonably implemented a Commission-
approved WMP.
Each utility's WMP includes identifying areas where the utility has infrastructure or equipment
that it considers may be subject to heightened wildfire risk at the time the WMP is finalized by
the utility, actions and programs the utility will take to reduce wildfire risk, community outreach
and public awareness efforts the utility will use before, during and after wildfire season to inform
the public of relevant wildfire risk as well as efforts to notify the public of wildfire-related
outages, among other items.
Kootenai Electric Cooperative's WMP utilizes a three-year planning horizon. The plan includes
information on vegetation management, efforts to reduce wildfire risk and operational protocols
during elevated fire risk conditions, among other items.
The Commission is accepting written comments until May 14, 2026. Comments are required to
be submitted through the Commission's website or by e-mail unless computer access is not
available.To submit comments through the website, visit puc.idaho.gov and click on the "Case
Comment Form"link on the upper left side of the page. Please use case number C07-E-25-01
when filling out the form. Comments submitted through e-mail should be sent to the e-mail
addresses listed below. Commenters are required to include their name, address and case number
C07-E-25-01. If computer access is not available, comments can be mailed to the Commission

and Kootenai Electric Cooperative at the addresses listed below. Commenters are required to
include their name, address and case number CO7-E-25-01 in correspondence.
For the Idaho Public Utilities Commission:
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
Commission Secretary
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83702-0074
[e-mail]
For Kootenai Electric Cooperative:
Michael G.Andrea
General Counsel
9014 W. Lancaster Rd.
Rathdrum, ID 83858
[e-mail]
Thomas Maddalone
Safety Director
9014 W. Lancaster Rd.
Rathdrum, ID 83858
[e-mail]
Additional information on Kootenai Electric Cooperative's application is available at:
puc.idaho.gov/case/Details/7682.