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Idaho Power Says It's On Pace for Record New Customers by Associated Press Times-News, November 23, 2004

BOISE -- Idaho Power, the state's biggest utility, is on track this year to beat a decade-old record in signing up new customers.

The company said it had gained 9,776 new customers by the end of the third quarter, bringing its total number of clients in all categories to 436,376. That includes commercial, industrial and agricultural clients in Idaho and Oregon.

Idaho Power posted its record for a one-year increase in new subscribers in 1994, when it added 12,536 customers.

"It certainly looks like we are on course for a record year," said Tom Noll, who heads up forecasting at Idaho Power. He said the company had anticipated a spike in customers in its planning.

The utility is building up power-generation capacity to meet demands of its growing subscriber list, including constructing a new gas turbine, building the Bennett Mountain Power Plant and accepting proposals for 200 megawatts of wind-power generation.

Idaho ranks 13th in the U.S. among states most suited for wind power, according to the Montana Greenpower Web site.

Idaho Power, whose service territory includes most of Magic Valley, has 418,484 customers in Idaho and 17,892 in Oregon