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Committee backs concurrent resolution to form study committee on electricity and growth
Summary
The House State Affairs Committee voted to send HCR 19 to the House floor with a do-pass recommendation. Sponsors said the study committee would examine Idaho’s long-term electricity needs, including the impacts of large loads such as data centers, and coordinate stakeholders across utilities, land use and water issues.
The Idaho House State Affairs Committee voted to advance HCR 19, a concurrent resolution to create a study committee to examine the state’s electricity needs and infrastructure planning.
Representative Stephanie Mickelson presented the resolution on behalf of Representative Garner, saying the committee would help ensure Idaho continues to have affordable power rates as large electric loads arrive. “I think it’s important for us to take a step back and take the opportunity to form a committee to figure out how to best address Idaho’s needs,” Mickelson said.
Supporters said the topic is complex and intersects with land use, water and other resource policy. Representative Digart moved that HCR 19 be sent to the floor with a due-pass recommendation and described the issue as “a very complicated issue” that requires expert input. Representative Hostetler asked whether forming the committee would delay other processes; Mickelson replied the existing Idaho Public Utilities Commission rules should allow continued processing of large ratepayer requests during any study and that the committee’s work would provide additional time for deliberation rather than shutting down existing processes.
Representative Alfieri asked about committee composition; Mickelson said her understanding was the Legislature would appoint three members from the House and three from the Senate and that appointments would be made by leadership.
The committee voted to advance HCR 19 by voice vote; members said they supported focusing on experts when making appointments and on considering the range of interrelated resource issues the committee would address.
The resolution will next appear on the House floor for a vote.
