Relicensing process continues for Idaho Power’s Hells Canyon Complex

Sharon Fisher//July 8, 2019//

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photo of hells canyon — Hells Canyon Dam, above, is one of three dams Idaho Power operates in Hells Canyon of the Snake River along the Idaho-Oregon border. Photo courtesy of Idaho Power

Idaho Power is still in the relicensing process for the Hells Canyon Complex (HCC), which provides approximately 68% of its hydroelectric generating capacity and 32% of its total generating capacity, according to the company’s most recent Integrated Resource Plan.

The original license for the facility expired in July 2005. Until the new, multi-year license is issued, Idaho Power continues to operate the project under annual licenses. The company said in the report that it doesn’t expect the multi-year license to be reissued before 2022 at the earliest.

Based on 2017 data, hydroelectricity and coal are the two largest sources of Idaho’s electricity at 53% and 17% percent, respectively. Natural gas makes up 14%, and non-hydro renewables — principally wind power, solar, geothermal and biomass — account for approximately 14%. Idaho’s electricity rates were the fifth lowest among the 50 states in 2017. Based on Idaho’s 2016 electricity energy sources, approximately 32% was comprised of market purchases and energy imports from out-of-state generating resources owned by Idaho utilities. Idaho Power-owned generating capacity was the source for 71.4%, with 46.4% from hydropower.