Idaho Power seeks $154M sale of Oregon service territory to co-op
What's the deal? Idaho PowerDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has applied to sell its Oregon service territory to Oregon Trail Electric Consumers Cooperative (OTEC) for $154 million. The company filed the application with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission on August 14, seeking to transfer its 20,000 customers in Malheur, Harney, Baker and Wallowa counties to OTEC.
Why now? The two utilities entered a purchase agreement in February 2026, with a closing date in early 2027. Idaho Power has served Oregon customers for more than a century, but they represent a small portion of its business.
What's the endgame? Idaho Power said reducing its service area to one state could narrow its focus to investment and infrastructure for a growing Idaho population. The sale remains subject to state and federal regulatory review. If approved, Idaho Power would continue supplying wholesale electricity to OTEC.
What changes for customers? OTEC, which serves about 60,000 customers in eastern Oregon, would take over distribution. Without the sale, Idaho Power said it would need to raise the general rate for Oregon customers by at least 17% due to inflation and capital investments; with the sale, OTEC said those customers would see a hike of only 5.7%.
The signal: Idaho Power would retain its generation and transmission assets in Oregon, including the Boardman to Hemingway line and the Hells Canyon Complex, plus habitat management and water-quality programmes. The deal reflects how utilities are consolidating service areas to concentrate investment where demand is growing.
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