20120202Comment.pdf

Jean Jewell
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Sent:
To:
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Dlehman~principlestrategic.com
Thursday, February 02, 2012 8:33 AM
Jean Jewell; Beverly Barker; Gene Fadness
PUC Comment Form
A Comment from David Lehman follows:
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Case Number: IPC-E-11-25
Name: David Lehman
Address: 802 West Bannock Suite 700
City: Boise
State: ID
Zip: 83702
Daytime Telephone: [phone]
Contact E-Mail: Dlehman~principlestrategic. com Name of Utility Company: Idaho Power Company
Acknowledge: acknowledge
Please describe your comment briefly:
To whom it may concern:
I am fortunate to have spent much of my career helping businesses navigate the very
complicated process of government contracts. It gave me useful insight into the challenges
faced by entrepreneurs who have the vision and passion for projects with the potential to
serve the greater public interest.
I also spent part of my career working at the Department of Interior, where I learned a bit
about the complicated issues our nation faces as we consider our energy needs of the future.
Public officials such as yourselves and the excellent staff at the Public Utilities
Commission must grapple each day with finding a balance between our current energy needs and
our long-term energy goals.
Idaho Power's recently drafted Integrated Resource Plan shows in clear detail the challenges
we all face in finding that balance. The company makes it clear that southern Idaho's energy
needs will only grow, and that the certain future increases in the cost of using coal
requires the company and its customers to seek new sources of power generation.
That situation, combined with my experiences and the insights they informed, have made me
strongly supportive of the Dynamis Energy project at the Ada County Landfill.
Their proposed power-purchase agreement with Idaho Power now sits before you for
consideration.
I work with Dynamis on parts of the project, and have been impressed not only with their
technology and approach, but also with their careful consideration of building the project in
a conservative, cost-effective way that places minimal impact on Idaho ratepayers.
The combination of the strong, well-crafted agreement before you, the exciting potential this
project has for solving some of our community's most vexing problems and the bold initiative
shown by the companies behind the project should make your decision an easy on. I hope you
can look past the uninformed opposition you might hear, and look to the standard this
agreement and the project will set for the future of alternative energy in Idaho.
Sincerely,
David Lehman
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