01/99: The Legislative Council Committee on Electric Utilities Restructuring issued its final report. The report recommended a slow approach to retail competition. Idaho was a low cost state for electricity and concerned about prices rising under a competitive market. The legislature reestablished the study committee.
12/98: The legislative committee concluded that deregulation would boost electric prices in the State, and recommended against restructuring.
02/98: PUC approved Washington Water Power Company’s pilot program for approximately 6,000 consumers. The pilot would offer customers a portfolio consisting of four rate options: Traditional Energy Service, Monthly Market Rate, Annual Market Rate, and Standard Offer Service.
1/98: PUC issued the "Electric Costs Report" to the Governor and Legislature. The report contains the findings on the unbundled average costs for utilities in Idaho compared to national averages. 9/97: The PUC hosted technical workshops to discuss public purpose program costs as part of unbundling. 7/97: At the PUC, proceedings on electric restructuring began. |