If Washington wants expensive “green energy”, let them pay for it. But don’t make the rest of us subsidize it. Via Pullman Radio:
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission is protecting its residents from Avista Utility’s expensive green energy coming out of Washington. The commission recently settled a power rate increase request from the Spokane based utility for its Idaho customers. Avista initially wanted to raise its Idaho rates by over 6% in part to pay the net expenses from the Palouse Wind Farm in North Whitman County. The commission points out that Avista’s purchase of the wind power is driven by a Washington mandate requiring green energy in a utility’s portfolio. The commission ruled that North Idaho doesn’t need the wind farm’s power. Commissioners went on to say that Avista is paying substantially more for the green energy from the Palouse Wind Farm than the actual market value of the electricity. The settlement ended up raising power rates for Avista customers in North Idaho by about 2.5%.