Idaho Power and Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative File to Transfer Ownership of Idaho Power’s Oregon Service Area

Joint press release between Idaho Power and Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative

Boise, ID and Baker City, OR - Idaho Power and Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC) have filed with the Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC) requesting approval of an agreement to transition ownership of Idaho Power's Oregon distribution system to OTEC.

If approved, Idaho Power's 20,000 residential, irrigation, commercial, and industrial customers in Malheur, Harney, Baker, and Wallowa counties in Oregon would become OTEC member-owners, expanding OTEC's service territory beyond the four counties it currently serves - Baker, Union, Grant, and Harney. The proposed sale has a base purchase price of $154 million and is expected to close in early 2027.

After the transfer to OTEC, Idaho Power would no longer directly serve Oregon retail electric customers but would continue to own and operate generation and transmission resources in Oregon, including the Boardman to Hemingway (B2H) transmission line, which provides power to Idaho, Oregon, and across the region. The agreement includes OTEC purchasing wholesale energy from Idaho Power to serve its new member-owners under a multi-year power supply agreement. Former Idaho Power customers in eastern Oregon would continue to receive reliable energy and local service throughout the transition, and as OTEC member-owners, they would gain a voice in their cooperative through board elections and capital credits returned to members and communities.

Idaho Power has continued to invest in the safety and reliability of the Oregon distribution system. Capital investments and inflation have increased service costs, and Idaho Power has not raised base rates in Oregon since 2024. Without the sale, Idaho Power would likely need to pursue a general rate increase of at least 17% in Oregon to recover these costs. With the sale, OTEC would need to recover the investment already made in the system and would need to charge former Idaho Power customers approximately 5.7% more than their current Idaho Power rates upon transaction approval. Either path forward requires some rate adjustment to reflect the current cost of service.

Idaho Power and OTEC will work together closely throughout the OPUC review to ensure continuity of service for Oregon customers. For more information about Idaho Power, OTEC, and the proposed sale, please visit idahopower.com/Oregon or otec.coop/IdahoPower.

Media Contacts:

Jordan Rodriguez
Communications Specialist
Idaho Power
[email protected]
1-208-388-2460

Shiraz Mukarram
Manager of Communications
Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative
[email protected]
541-519-8024

About Idaho Power

Idaho Power, headquartered in vibrant and fast-growing Boise, Idaho, has been a locally operated energy company since 1916. Today, it serves a 24,000-square-mile area in Idaho and Oregon. The company has a long history of safely providing reliable, affordable, clean energy. With 17 low-cost hydroelectric projects at the core of its diverse energy mix, Idaho Power's residential, business, and agricultural customers pay among the nation's lowest prices for electricity. Its 2,100 employees proudly serve more than 660,000 customers with a culture of safety first, integrity always, and respect for all.