20230914Westside Press Release.pdf

Contact: Adam Rush
Office: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

NEWS RELEASE: Citing concerns, commission declines participation in initiative to create
western-based energy management group.

BOISE (Sept. 14, 2023) - The Idaho Public Utilities Commission issued the following response
regarding an invitation to participate in the West-Wide Governance Pathway Initiative:

Having considered the representations, actions, and current goals of the West-Wide Governance
Pathway Initiative, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission unanimously chooses not to participate
with the Initiative.

The IPUC’s concerns include, among other things, that: (1) the Initiative has been less than
transparent concerning its creating and funding; (2) there is no evidence that the Initiative’s goal
of independent governance is feasible without changes in California’s legislation; (3) the
Initiative’s timeline of seating a board by January 2024 is premature and unrealistic; and (4) at its
core, the Initiative presumes economic benefits for western states without justification or
specifics.

“As always, the IPUC respects other Commission, State and Stakeholders’ decisions concerning
participation with the Initiative,” Commission President Eric Anderson said. “However, given
the IPUC’s concerns, the inherent flaws in the creation of the Initiative, and the Initiative’s
current actions and goals, the IPUC does not see a viable path forward for the Initiative or that
participation would result in any specific net economic benefits for Idaho customers.”