Idaho Sen. Jim Risch has introduced a bill that would allow public utilities like Idaho Power to deny contracts to independent power producers if they can show they don’t need the electricity, Idaho Statesman reporter Rocky Barker reports today, making a big modification to the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, or PURPA. It’s a change Idaho Power really wants; the company says it doesn’t need any new generation until 2021, but could be forced to buy power from new solar energy projects in Idaho under current PURPA requirements. Barker’s full report is online here.

Out of curiosity, I took a look back at the campaign finance reports from IDA-PAC Political Action Committee, Idaho Power’s PAC, and the PAC has donated $20,000 to Risch’s Senate campaigns since 2006, including $5,000 in September of 2014. Barker reports that on Thursday, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will look at more than 20 separate bills including Risch’s, as part of a larger energy package.