Idaho Falls Power earns UAMPS System Improvement Award for new Peaking Plant

December 23, 2025

IDAHO FALLS, ID, December 23, 2025 – Idaho Falls Power has been recognized with a 2025 System Improvement Award from Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) for its newly constructed Peaking Plant, an investment that strengthens local electricity reliability, enhances system resilience, and protects customers from volatile power costs.

The System Improvement Award honors community-owned utilities that make meaningful investments to improve electric service and reliability for their customers. UAMPS, a joint action agency providing wholesale electric energy services to municipal utilities across the Intermountain West, presented the award to Idaho Falls Power Interim General Manager Stephen Boorman during its Annual Member Meeting held December 17, 2025, in Salt Lake City.

In accepting the award, Boorman credited the dedication of Idaho Falls Power employees, the forward-thinking leadership of the community, and the expertise of project contractors who brought the facility online.

“We are proud to serve a community that values innovation and long-term planning,” said Boorman. “Idaho Falls has a strong history of investing in the right infrastructure at the right time, and this project reflects that commitment to our customers and our future.”

The new peaking plant adds 17.5 megawatts of on-demand natural gas generation capacity to Idaho Falls Power’s system. Designed to operate during periods of peak demand, such as extreme summer heat or winter cold, the plant allows the utility to generate electricity locally when wholesale market prices are at their highest. This additional capacity reduces reliance on external power purchases during critical periods, strengthening local control while contributing to regional capacity solutions.

“With this plant, Idaho Falls Power is better positioned to manage costs during market spikes, maintain reliability, and provide price stability for our community,” Boorman added.

Protecting customers from volatile power markets was a core goal of the project. By combining its long-standing hydropower resources with new local generation, Idaho Falls Power has been able to keep residential electric rates at approximately 7 cents per kilowatt-hour, about 50 percent lower than the national average. Generating more power locally helps ensure rates remain stable and predictable for customers.

Idaho Falls Power currently operates four hydroelectric dams along the Snake River, which supply roughly one-third of the community’s electricity needs. As the city continues to grow and seasonal river flows fluctuate, the new peaking plant fills a critical gap while offering flexibility for future expansion, research opportunities, and potential substation development as energy demands evolve.