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Home My WebLink About20150608Comment.pdfp c7 1IDAHO LI SMART GROWTH Board of Directors: Kate Eldridge President Ida ho Public Utilities Commission P0 Box 83720 Boise ID 83720-0074 June 3,2015 £Ui JU —b iH 03 U]YLrCIES C’ISSLN Sherry McKibben Vice President Michelle Groenevelt Secretary Stacey Alexander Treasurer Gary Allen Laurie Barrera Matt Blandford Bill Clark Hethe Clark Doug Fowler Sharon Grant Rob Hopper WyattJohnson Steve Lockwood Staff: Scot Oliver Executive Director Elaine Clegg Re:IPC-E-15-01 Thank you for the opportunity to comment on Idaho Power’s,Avista’s and Pacificorp’s requests to lower their renewable power purchasing agreement contract terms under PURPA.Idaho Smart Growth is the only statewide nonprofit organization that works with people to strengthen their communities through sensible growth and development decisions.We recognize that Idaho’s relatively low rates for electricity, partly due to the amount of hydropower generated here,are important to Idaho communities,businesses and individuals.However,we are concerned that the roughly half of Idaho’s energy produced by burning coal and natural gas creates significant economic and environmental costs that are not adequately reflected in our low power rates. Idaho Smart Growth is committed to promoting and expanding the use of green power.To demonstrate our commitment,we partner with Radio Boise to offset their broadcast with 100%renewable energy from Idaho Power’s Green Power Program. Radio Boise’s broadcast uses 58,000 kWh of electricity per year—enough to power 4Y2 homes.Idaho Smart Growth provides the premium for the renewable energy credits, removing the equivalent of nearly 40 tons of carbon from the atmosphere,or taking 71/z cars off the road. We ask that you require Idaho’s utilities to do all they can to continue to shift their power purchasing to renewable sources,and furthermore,to encourage them to embrace new models of clean energy production and distributed power.This will not only serve to keep Idaho’s power rates low,but it will improve our quality of life,our economic competiveness and the health of our citizens. Please let us know if we can provide any other information. Sincerely, Scot Oliver Executive Director Program Coordinator Deanna Smith Program Coordinator Kate Rodriguez Administrator 910 Main Street,Ste.374 Brinqing people toqether to create qreat places to live.