Tagged: Aaron Kunz

An Idaho task force will delay its release of a draft proposal on ways to strengthen the state’s nuclear energy industry. 

The Idaho Leadership in Nuclear Energy Commission was expected to release its draft recommendations on Monday so the public could weigh in. From there, it planned to deliver a final version on January First to Governor Otter.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said Idaho Power must honor its obligation to purchase energy from wind farms. But it stopped short of taking enforceable action while the Idaho Public Utilities Commission decides how to rule on the case.

Gene Fadness is a spokesman with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission. “This order comes even before we’ve made a decision," explains Fadness. "The wind developers wanted something before a commission order hoping that that would perhaps sway the commission in their deliberations.”

Northwest residents say they want more clean energy and less of their electricity from fossil fuels.

Renewable energy has been praised for its ability to provide power without releasing carbon emissions into the air. Wind, solar, biomass and geothermal are currently in use in the Northwest. But so is coal, natural gas and nuclear.

“I’m concerned about what we’re leaving for our future generations," says Boise resident Alex Feldman. "And I guess I don’t want to go down in history as the generation that sort of screwed it up.”