Idaho Falls Utility Board Meetings

August 11, 2021 The Idaho Falls Power Board of the City of Idaho Falls met Thursday, August 11, 2021, at the Idaho Falls Power Energy Center, 140 S. Capital, Idaho Falls, Idaho at 9:00 a.m. Call to Order, Roll Call, and Announcements There were present: Mayor Rebecca L. Noah Casper (left at10:28 a.m.) Board Member Thomas Hally (became the acting Board President at10:28 a.m.) Board Member Jim Francis Board Member Jim Freeman Board Member Lisa Burtenshaw (via Zoom) Board Member John Radford (via Zoom) Absent: Board Member Michelle Ziel-Dingman Also present: Bear Prairie, Idaho Falls Power (IFP) General Manager Stephen Boorman, IFP Assistant General Manager Randy Fife, City Attorney Michael Kirkham, Assistant City Attorney Linda Lundquist, IFP Board Secretary Mayor Casper called the meeting to order at 9:04 a.m. Industry Training and Discussion General Manager (GM) Prairie said the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) financially settles the marketplace by; calculating prices, capturing wholesale energy production and consumption, collecting from market participants (MP) who owe the market, paying the MPs who are owed by the market and keeping the revenue neutral. He added that the SPPs markets have helped to lower the region-wide wholesale electricity prices. He described the inner workings of the Wholesale Energy Market. Mayor Casper asked where Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems’ (UAMPS) position is on Regional Transmission Office’s (RTO) and GM Prairie said they are supportive and emphasized that while transacting in the market through an RTO, participants have equal opportunity and pricing. Board Member Hally asked if some utilities go from having too much power where they must sell off and end up in a position of having to purchase more power? GM Prairie said that it’s common for utilities to eb and flow with their energy needs and holdings over time. There was a discussion on market influencers. Board Member Francis asked from the perspective of Idaho Falls Power (IFP), if the utility supports RTOs and GM Prairie said he is very supportive of RTOs and explained how RTOs level the playing field and add transparency and reiterated that the costs for energy are the same for all stakeholders. GM Prairie added that the SPP does a great job in the renewable markets and added that the country’s highest wind speeds are in the SPP Balancing Authority. He also noted the costs to build a wind farm have substantially decreased from a few years ago. GM Prairie described IFP’s position and process in the day-ahead-market and explained how congestion in the market impacts market prices. He showed how transmission investments are controlled by the SPP and explained how transmission projects get paid for. GM Prairie stated that Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), is joining the Energy Imbalance Market Expansion (EIM) and displayed a map of other utilities and their plans to also join the EIM. He explained that the EIM centrally dispatches generation and coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity in real-time. 1  August 11, 2021 There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 10:34 a.m. s/ Linda Lundquist s/ Rebecca L. Noah Casper Linda Lundquist, BOARD SECRETARY Rebecca L. Noah Casper, MAYOR 2