20220721Comment (1)_1.pdf

GIiTANT D GRANT 4-D FARMEI707 E CiOO N
RIJPERT Itr
FARMS
luly 27't,2022
REtIPC-E-ZZ-LZ
Dear Idaho Public Utilities Commission,
I am writing in response to comments filed by the Idaho Irrigation Pumpers Association
with the PUC in connection with IPC-E-22-12.In the comments, the Pumpers Association
purports to represent the perspective of their members, and implies that their members
represent the consensus of farmers in Idaho connected to the Idaho Power grid.
Our farming operation, Grant 4-D Farms, currently has in excess of 8,300 HP connected to
Idaho Power on just over 100 meter sites. The Idaho lrrigation Pumpers Association does
not represent me or our farm. We were previously members of the Association but
opted to not renew our membership in 2021 due to the fact that the leadership of the
organization would not justi$r or even engage with me in response to their opposition to
solar power.
We currently have 26 100-kW solar sites on a selection of our pump stations. The solar
sites contribute power to the grid at a much lower cost per kWh than does the ldaho Power
Peak Rewards program. The only thing negative about the sites is the fact that ldaho
Power's rules, blessed by the PUC, illogically limit the size of the sites to 100 KW, thus
requiring the sites to be scattered willy-nilly across the landscape wherever one can make
the sizing and combination rules work. We would have much preferred to construct 3
logical, efficient 1,000 KW central sites on a main feeder as opposed to the 26 scattered
sites we currently have.
Again, Idaho Irrigation Pumpers Association does not represent me, and has made no effort
to build informed consensus regarding solar amongst the irrigating community. I urge the
PUC to recognize the opinions of the ldaho lrrigation Pumpers Association for what they
are, the isolated and biased opinions of individuals who have coopted the name and brand
of a formerly viable association.
I would be happy to answer any questions in regards to my lack of continued affiliation
with the Association, or my support for and the logic of increasing the allowable solar site
size from 100 KW to 1,000 KW.
With best regards,
l-2. d"-
Duane Grant
President, Grant 4-D Farms
GRANT 4.D FARMS
208.431.0006 [e-mail] WWW.GRANT4DFARMS.COtvt