The western coal supply is sufficient to fuel Idaho Power’s existing plants and any new coal resources for many years to come. Because the State of Idaho has chosen not to opt into the Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) any new coal-fired plant involving Idaho Power ownership would have to be sited outside of Idaho. Expansion of one of the existing regional plants is possible.

Due to more affordable alternatives, the majority of advanced coal technologies, such as integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC), circulating fluidized bed (CFB), and carbon sequestration are not in large scale commercial operation in the United States. Others are unproven and haven’t been put into commercial operation.

But due to the prospect of a federal CO2 cap-and-trade program (and/or possibly a carbon tax) and increasingly restrictive emission regulations, the pursuit of large-scale commercial development for advanced coal energy resources is anticipated to increase in the coming years.