On the coldest mornings of winter, when temperatures plunge and furnaces strain to keep up, or during the long, dog days of summer, when air conditioners hum across the city, electricity demand in Idaho Falls, Idaho, surges to its highest levels. These are the moments when reliability matters most. And now, Idaho Falls Power has a powerful new resource ready to respond.
In December 2025, Idaho Falls Power marked a major milestone with the completion and ribbon cutting of its new natural gas peaking plant, a 17.5-megawatt, fast-start, modern generation facility designed to deliver dispatchable electricity when the community needs it most. With a history rooted in innovation, local control, and long-term planning, the project represents a continuation of that legacy and a strategic investment in the future. It also reinforces the utility’s core mission: delivering safe, reliable, and affordable electricity.
“This project is really about being prepared,” said former Idaho Falls Power interim General Manager Stephen Boorman. “We are proud to serve a community that values innovation and long-term planning. It ensures that when our customers need power the most, we can deliver it safely, reliably, and on our terms. It’s an investment in our community’s future.”
For a utility with more than 125 years of history, the project is not a departure from tradition; it’s a continuation of it.
A legacy of planning ahead
Idaho Falls Power has never been a utility that waits for challenges to arrive before taking action. Since generating its first electricity in 1900 using canal-fed hydropower, the utility has consistently looked ahead: anticipating growth, adapting to change, and investing in infrastructure that supports reliability and affordability. That mindset has shaped all its major decisions over the past century. For 125 years, the utility has expanded its hydroelectric system along the Snake River, strengthened transmission and distribution infrastructure, and planned deliberately for growth. The peaking plant is the latest example of that approach in action.
By 2019, utility leadership recognized clear shifts in the regional energy landscape. Markets became more volatile. Supply margins across the West tightened. At the same time, Idaho Falls continued to grow, placing new demands on a system historically anchored by hydropower.
Idaho Falls Power’s run-of-river hydropower remains a reliable and renewable backbone, but it comes with limitations. River flows fluctuate with the seasons, and during winter months, when demand is often highest, generation can decline significantly. The hydro plants cannot always meet peak demand on their own.
Faced with these realities, Idaho Falls Power made a deliberate choice: invest in a local solution that would provide flexibility, control, and long-term stability.
Strengthening reliability and meeting peak demand in a changing energy landscape
Reliability has always been at the core of Idaho Falls Power’s mission, but today’s energy environment brings new challenges. Across the country, electric demand is rising while traditional baseload generation resources are being retired. The result is a grid with less excess capacity and fewer opportunities to purchase affordable power during peak periods. At the same time, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, driving sharper and less predictable spikes in demand.
Without a local solution, utilities are forced to rely on outside markets during these moments, often at significantly higher costs, and with no guarantee power will even be available. In this environment, having access to fast, flexible, and locally controlled generation is more important than ever.
Enter the peaking plant.
A peaking plant is designed for a specific purpose: to generate electricity during periods of highest demand—peak load—when electricity usage spikes and the grid is under the greatest strain. Unlike traditional baseload facilities that run around the clock, peaking plants remain on standby until they’re needed. When demand spikes, whether from a cold snap, a summer heat wave, or an unexpected disruption, they can start quickly and deliver power within minutes. That responsiveness is what makes them so valuable.
In today’s evolving energy world, resource diversity is key. Wind and solar are important and valuable, but they depend on weather and time of day. Battery storage helps, but current technology is limited in duration. Natural gas peaking generation fills that gap. It provides fast, dispatchable, dependable power that can be called on anytime, regardless of weather conditions or time of day.
“With this plant, Idaho Falls Power is better positioned to manage costs during market spikes, maintain reliability, and provide price stability for our community,” Boorman said. “We need resources that can respond right away, and that’s exactly what this plant is designed to do. When conditions are at their toughest, that’s when this plant will really shine.”
Idaho Falls Power’s new facility is equipped with multiple high-efficiency, natural gas-fired reciprocating engines that can ramp up quickly, sustain output as long as needed, and respond immediately to system demands, making it uniquely suited for true peak load events. And by generating electricity locally during peak hours, Idaho Falls Power reduces its exposure to volatile external market prices while strengthening overall system reliability. This added control not only improves reliability but also helps stabilize costs for customers.
Inside the facility: Designed for today and tomorrow
At the heart of the new facility are seven high-efficiency reciprocating engine generators manufactured by Caterpillar. Designed for performance and efficiency, each unit produces approximately 2.5 megawatts. Their combined capacity is 17.5 megawatts—enough to power roughly 13,000 homes.
Each generator weighs more than 54,000 pounds and sits on its own specially engineered concrete foundation. These foundations, measuring 3.5 feet deep, 30 feet long, and 11 feet wide, are paired with spring isolator pads to minimize vibration and improve seismic resilience. This modular approach offers significant advantages. Instead of committing to a single large unit, operators can bring individual engines online as needed and have precise control over how much power is generated at any given time, matching generation more closely to demand and improving overall system efficiency.
Inside the plant, a sophisticated switchgear system acts as the facility’s control hub. Each generator connects to its own cabinet of switches and breakers, which are all tied back into Idaho Falls Power’s secure internal network. Operators can monitor and control the plant remotely from the primary or backup dispatch center, ensuring safe and seamless operation without duplicating staffing needs.
The facility itself was designed with function and longevity in mind. The main building stands 27 feet tall and includes 12,000 square feet on the lower level, along with an additional 2,600 square feet upstairs dedicated to training and operations. A separate 7,000-square-foot storage building provides protected space for critical equipment, helping extend its lifespan and reduce long-term costs.
The plant was also designed with the future in mind. While currently fueled by natural gas, the facility’s engines can transition to hydrogen blends in the future, offering flexibility as new fuel technologies emerge. This forward-looking design ensures the plant can evolve alongside changes in fuel availability, environmental standards, and energy policy without requiring major infrastructure changes.
At the same time, the facility serves another critical purpose: housing a fully functional backup dispatch center. For decades, Idaho Falls Power has worked toward establishing a secondary operations hub capable of maintaining system control in the event of a natural disaster or disruption to its primary headquarters. That capability now exists, which enhances resilience across the entire system.
“We built this facility with future needs in mind,” said Idaho Falls Power Generation Superintendent Jason Cooper. “The building not only incorporates the seven generators but also houses backup servers for our fiber network and a backup dispatch center that provides critical redundancy. This facility represents advanced technology, modern engineering, and innovation at every turn.”
Engineering for reliability and performance
Every aspect of the plant’s design reflects careful planning. One of the most important systems is ventilation. Working with Caterpillar, ESI Construction, and outside consultants, Idaho Falls Power developed a low-maintenance airflow design that pulls cool air into the building near ground level and pushes hot air out through fans mounted high on the opposite wall.
Nearby, two 5,000-gallon diesel exhaust fluid tanks support emissions control systems. Each generator uses approximately 1.6 gallons per hour, meaning the plant could run for more than a month before needing a refill. Though in reality, it’s designed to be used for short, high-demand periods.
Environmental performance was also a priority right from the start. Working closely with state regulators, Idaho Falls Power incorporated advanced emissions-reduction technology and noise mitigation systems, investing in best-available solutions to ensure the facility operates well below air-quality limits. The result is a plant that delivers reliability while keeping environmental impact in check.
During the ribbon-cutting, project manager Alan Cunningham summed up the project with a familiar phrase.
“You can choose two of the following—faster, cheaper, better. You can’t have all three,” he said. “Looking at this plant, I believe we achieved all three.”
From concept to construction
Bringing the peaking plant online required years of planning, coordination, and adaptability.
Utility leaders began evaluating the need for additional dispatchable generation as part of long-term resource planning efforts, taking into account projected load growth, market conditions, and system reliability requirements. As those analyses continued, the case for a local peaking resource became increasingly clear.
Once the decision was made to move forward, the project entered a detailed design and engineering phase, followed by permitting, procurement, and construction. Like many large infrastructure projects, the plant was built during a time of global supply chain challenges and shifting economic conditions. Equipment lead times, material availability, and cost pressures all required careful management and adaptability throughout the process. Despite those challenges, the project remained on track, a testament to the coordination between engineers, contractors, utility staff, and project partners.
The project was delivered using a design-build approach, allowing engineering and construction to happen at the same time. That shaved an estimated 18 to 24 months off the schedule, but it also meant decisions had to be made in real time.
“This project wasn’t perfect,” said Cunningham, who worked closely with ESI Construction to keep the project on track and on budget, even as global supply chain challenges and economic uncertainties affected infrastructure projects across the country.“Daily, we faced delays, challenges, and hard decisions that may have set us back. But at the end of each week, we earned a win. At the end of each month, we gained ground. And now, we’re standing here with the outcome of a winning season that will provide reliable and affordable power to this community for years to come.”
The project steadily progressed from site preparation and foundation work to generator installation, system integration, and final commissioning. The scale of the effort shows in the numbers: 4 miles of wiring; 7,000 feet of structural steel; 158,000 pounds of rebar; and 1,490 cubic yards of concrete, all brought together through more than 5,200 craft labor hours.
Smart financing for long-term value
Equally important to the project’s success was how it was funded. Rather than pursuing a traditional municipal bond process, Idaho Falls Power partnered with the Idaho Energy Resource Authority (IERA), an independent public entity created to support energy infrastructure investments across the state. That partnership resulted in a premium bond sale, generating more than $44 million in proceeds while issuing $39 million in principal. The structure allows the project to be paid off in about 15 years at a 3.27% interest rate.
“The IERA bond structure enabled us to align financial discipline with operational needs,” said Idaho Falls Power Chief Financial Officer Josh Roos. “It lowered costs, strengthened our position, and helps protect our customers from future volatility.”
A community investment
At its core, the peaking plant’s purpose is to increase reliability, ensuring power is available when it’s needed most. Every home, school, hospital, and business in Idaho Falls depends on reliable electricity. This plant provides a safety net during peak demand, helping reduce the risk of outages and maintain stability across the system.
While the facility itself is highly technical, its impact is deeply personal. It represents a significant and meaningful investment in the people of Idaho Falls. From construction jobs to ongoing operations, the project supports the local economy and reflects Idaho Falls Power’s commitment to the community it serves. For a community-owned utility, that matters.
“This project is more than infrastructure, it’s a commitment to our community,” said former Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper at the ribbon-cutting event. “It ensures that families, businesses, and essential services can depend on reliable power, no matter the conditions.”
A milestone worth celebrating
The completion of the peaking plant coincidentally coincided with another major milestone: Idaho Falls Power’s 125th anniversary, which created a powerful connection between past and future. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, community leaders, utility staff, and residents gathered to celebrate not just a new facility, but a legacy of innovation and service built over generations.
“This is a proud moment for Idaho Falls and for everyone who’s been part of this journey,” said Idaho Falls Power External Affairs Manager Sarah Wheeler. “It represents generations of work, vision, and commitment to this community. It represents where we’ve been and where we’re going.”
Ready when it matters most
From the first streetlights powered by canal water in 1900 to a modern, flexible generation facility capable of supporting the grid in real time, Idaho Falls Power’s story is one of continuous evolution. The peaking plant is the latest chapter in that story. It reflects the same spirit of innovation and independence that led early city leaders to build their own power system more than 125 years ago.
With the addition of the peaking plant, the utility now operates a more balanced and resilient system, one that combines the renewable strength of hydropower with the flexibility of fast-response generation. Hydropower provides renewable, low-cost energy. The peaking plant provides control, reliability, and rapid response. Together, they create a system built not just for today, but for decades to come. And when the next moment of peak demand arrives, whether it’s a winter storm, a summer heat wave, or an unexpected event, Idaho Falls Power will be ready. Ready when it matters most.
